{"id":483,"date":"2017-05-15T17:22:37","date_gmt":"2017-05-15T17:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/?p=483"},"modified":"2017-05-26T19:21:37","modified_gmt":"2017-05-26T19:21:37","slug":"for-chance-hawkins-high-school-milestones-are-major-life-moments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/2017\/05\/15\/for-chance-hawkins-high-school-milestones-are-major-life-moments\/","title":{"rendered":"For Chance Hawkins, High School Milestones Are Major Life Moments"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Chance Hawkins, 19,\u00a0was born with a rare genetic degenerative disease. He&#8217;s\u00a0getting ready to graduate from Fort Worth\u2019s Dunbar High School, concluding a journey that\u2019s been filled with obstacles \u2014 and rewards.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h5>&#8216;You have a smiler&#8217;<\/h5>\n<p>Earlier this month, Chance Hawkins\u2019 family and friends thought they\u2019d lost him. Chance\u00a0wasn\u2019t sure he\u2019d live to see another day either.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was really just trying to ask God to help me, you know. But I couldn\u2019t really talk,&#8221; he says. &#8220;I couldn\u2019t really even think it. I was just going down and everything was black.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Chance was in the nurse\u2019s office at Dunbar High when he passed out. Phlegm had gotten stuck in his throat, and he couldn\u2019t cough it up.<\/p>\n<p>Chance\u2019s mom, Clarice, was there trying to help. When he stopped breathing, she started screaming. His older brother Robert was there, too. Students and teachers gathered and prayed nearby.<\/p>\n<!-- meta slider -->\n<div style=\"max-width: 1024px;\" class=\"metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-549 ml-slider\">\n    \n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_549\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_549\">\n            <ul class=\"slides\">\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-530 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance4_1024x684-912x684.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-549 slide-530\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins waits for his prom date to arrive at his home in Fort Worth on May 6, 2017. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-531 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance6_1024x686-914x686.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-549 slide-531\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Robert Hawkins, center, and other family members help Chance get ready for prom. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-532 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance7_1024x683-910x683.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-549 slide-532\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance leaves for his prom from his Fort Worth home. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-535 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance19_1024x684-912x684.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-549 slide-535\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance and his date, Tailor Brooks, walk the red carpet to their vehicle to leave for prom. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-533 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance11_1024x683-910x683.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-549 slide-533\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins, center, poses for photos with his sister, Kenyah Hawkins, mother, Clarice Hawkins Boyd, and father, Louis Boyd, before leaving for prom. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-536 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance21_1024x683-910x683.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-549 slide-536\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance gets in his van to leave for prom. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        var metaslider_549 = function($) {\n            $('#metaslider_549').addClass('flexslider'); \/\/ theme\/plugin conflict avoidance\n            $('#metaslider_549').flexslider({ \n                slideshowSpeed:3000,\n                animation:\"fade\",\n                controlNav:true,\n                directionNav:true,\n                pauseOnHover:true,\n                direction:\"horizontal\",\n                reverse:false,\n                animationSpeed:600,\n                prevText:\"&lt;\",\n                nextText:\"&gt;\",\n                slideshow:true\n            });\n        };\n        var timer_metaslider_549 = function() {\n            var slider = !window.jQuery ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_549, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_549, 1) : metaslider_549(window.jQuery);\n        };\n        timer_metaslider_549();\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n<!--\/\/ meta slider-->\n<p>Dunbar High principal SaJade Miller walked into the nurse\u2019s office to see what was happening.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI see the nurse giving Chance chest compressions and that was one of the most difficult moments of my career in education because I speak to Chance every day,&#8221; Miller says. &#8220;He is sort of our hero and to see that &#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Paramedics arrived. They performed CPR.<\/p>\n<p>When Chance woke up, he was in the ambulance on the way to a hospital. A paramedic on one side, his mom on the other.<\/p>\n<p>Chance broke out in a big smile.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe told my mom, \u2018You have a smiler,\u2019&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p>He told his mom that he loved her.<\/p>\n<p>Clarice Boyd thought he was gone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut he\u2019s a fighter,&#8221; she said. &#8220;He proved me wrong. And I\u2019m glad. I don\u2019t know what I\u2019d do without him.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"quotemark \"> &#8220;He\u2019s paying a sacrifice that none of us will ever be able to understand.&#8221; <div class=\"quote-source\">SaJade Miller, Dunbar High School principal<\/div><div class=\"quote-rating-0\"><\/div><\/div>\n<h5>Adjusting to high school<\/h5>\n<p>Chance and younger brother Louis were born with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mda.org\/disease\/duchenne-muscular-dystrophy\" target=\"_blank\">Duchenne muscular dystrophy<\/a>. It\u00a0affects one in 3,600 boys. Three of Chance&#8217;s uncles died from the disease.<\/p>\n<p>Over time, muscles progressively weaken. Many die in their 20s. With advances in medicine, more are living into their 30s and even 40s.<\/p>\n<p>For Chance, graduation next week will be a huge milestone. Miller, the principal, calls Chance an inspiration.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe complain about the mundane things, not realizing that he\u2019s paying a sacrifice that none of us will ever be able to understand,&#8221; Miller says. &#8220;So, this year and this graduation, this prom is really a celebration for us for Chance, because you know, you never know when your last day is. And you never how your situation could turn at an instant.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_541\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-541\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance29_1024x683-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins (center) is surrounded by friends at the Dunbar High School prom in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, May 6, 2017. (photo \u00a9 Lara Solt)\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance29_1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance29_1024x683-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance29_1024x683-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance29_1024x683-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance29_1024x683-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" >Chance Hawkins, center, is surrounded by friends at the Dunbar High School prom in Arlington. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Four years ago, the thought of graduation seemed daunting. In eighth\u00a0grade, Chance failed the STAAR test at Dunbar Middle School. So his mom briefly moved him to Cassata, a small Catholic school. Soon, though, he was back in public school at Dunbar High.<\/p>\n<p>At first, the crowded cafeteria seemed intimidating. The school had 810 students \u2013 four times the number at Cassata. Now, Dunbar High is nearing 900.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t really have a seat that I go to,\u201d Chance says. \u201cI just roam a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the academic side, Chance struggled. He eventually got an <a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/class-17-fort-worth-student-rare-disease-aide-makes-all-difference\" target=\"_blank\">aide to help him<\/a> take notes and make sure he understood assignments. Teachers were flexible, letting the aide tweak lessons.<\/p>\n<p>Chance persevered.<\/p>\n<p>Today, he has no trouble finding friends in the cafeteria, and he\u2019s on track to graduate.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mt-insert\"><\/p>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_544\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-544\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance32_1024x713.jpg\" alt=\"Chance Hawkins is crowned Prom King at the Dunbar High School prom in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, May 6, 2017. (photo \u00a9 Lara Solt)\" width=\"1024\" height=\"713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance32_1024x713.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance32_1024x713-300x209.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance32_1024x713-768x535.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance32_1024x713-800x557.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance32_1024x713-450x313.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 1024px\" >Chance Hawkins is crowned prom king. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<p><\/figure>\n<h5>&#8216;I See You, Chance&#8217;<\/h5>\n<p>All Chance can think about are the big moments in a senior\u2019s life, like graduation \u2014 and prom.<\/p>\n<p>A couple of Saturdays ago, Chance and his sister Kenya spent the afternoon getting ready for their dates. She\u2019s a senior, and a jock. No one could remember seeing her in a fancy dress or heels before, which left Chance stunned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t &#8230; I can\u2019t talk,&#8221; Chance says. &#8220;She look amazing. My sister. You\u2019ll never see my sister never in a million years wear a dress like that.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Chance didn\u2019t disappoint, either.<\/p>\n<p>He\u00a0slipped on a gold-sequined, tailor-made jacket; the top of his hair highlighted auburn. His inspiration for the look: Michael Jackson.<\/p>\n<p>Together, he and his date, Tailor Brooks, made a stylish entrance to the big party at an Arlington ballroom.<\/p>\n<p>Around 9:30 p.m., the\u00a0music stopped and the prom king candidates lined up. Chance was one of them. Classmates formed a half-circle to get a closer look.<\/p>\n<p>A royal blue crown was placed on Chance&#8217;s head. A huge smile spread across his face. His classmates clapped and cheered, snapping pictures with their phones.<\/p>\n<p>For a kid who started the week on the verge of death, being named prom\u00a0king was a moment to remember.<\/p>\n<p>After Chance won the crown, the emcee at the prom told students on the count of three to repeat a chant.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I see you, Chance. I see you, Chance. I see you, Chance.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- meta slider -->\n<div style=\"max-width: 1024px;\" class=\"metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-551 ml-slider\">\n    \n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_551\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_551\">\n            <ul class=\"slides\">\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-534 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance18_1024x684-910x683.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-551 slide-534\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins, center, poses with his date, Tailor Brooks, right, and other friends and family members. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-540 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance27_1024x683-910x683.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-551 slide-540\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins, center, is surrounded by friends at prom. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-538 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance24_1024x669-892x669.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-551 slide-538\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins enters the prom.  Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-542 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance30_1024x681-907x681.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-551 slide-542\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Chance Hawkins and his date, Tailor Brooks, share a laugh at prom.  Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-546 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/Chance35_1024x680-906x680.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-551 slide-546\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Prom king Chance Hawkins and prom queen Kabresha Gibson pose for photos at the Dunbar High School prom.  Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        var metaslider_551 = function($) {\n            $('#metaslider_551').addClass('flexslider'); \/\/ theme\/plugin conflict avoidance\n            $('#metaslider_551').flexslider({ \n                slideshowSpeed:3000,\n                animation:\"fade\",\n                controlNav:true,\n                directionNav:true,\n                pauseOnHover:true,\n                direction:\"horizontal\",\n                reverse:false,\n                animationSpeed:600,\n                prevText:\"&lt;\",\n                nextText:\"&gt;\",\n                slideshow:true\n            });\n        };\n        var timer_metaslider_551 = function() {\n            var slider = !window.jQuery ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_551, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_551, 1) : metaslider_551(window.jQuery);\n        };\n        timer_metaslider_551();\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n<!--\/\/ meta slider-->\n<hr \/>\n<h5>The Class of &#8217;17 Yearbook<\/h5>\n<p><strong>Name: <\/strong>Chance Hawkins<br \/>\n<strong>School:<\/strong> Dunbar High School<br \/>\n<strong>Graduation date:<\/strong> June 6, 2017<\/p>\n<p><strong>Next step:<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019m going to try to pursue my music and acting career at the same time. I\u2019m going to start a YouTube channel or blog, anything to keep going. I\u2019m going to [keep] recording and writing and try to see where it gets me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dream job:<\/strong> \u201cI would like to be a lot of things. Well, my dream job \u2014 I would like to own my own restaurant. Soul food. A restaurant\u00a0with not only just soul food. I probably like Brazilian food, you know, get different kinds of food from all over.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Favorite quote: <\/strong>\u201cDream as if you will live forever.\u201d \u2013 James Dean<\/p>\n<h6>Chance Hawkins, Through The Years<\/h6>\n<!-- meta slider -->\n<div style=\"max-width: 1024px;\" class=\"metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-403 ml-slider\">\n    \n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_403\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_403\">\n            <ul class=\"slides\">\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-487 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2013-ChanceInHallway.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-487\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">October 2013.<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-486 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2013-Chance_EngTeacher-1024x768.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-486\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">October 2013: Chance works on a English test. Photo\/Stella M. Ch\u00e1vez<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-488 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2014-chance_hawkins2.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-488\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">April 2014: As a ninth grader, Chance gets occupational therapy twice a week. Photo\/Stella M. Ch\u00e1vez<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-489 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2014-chance_hawkins5.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-489\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">April 2014: Chance hangs out with his siblings. His younger brother, Louis Jr., was also born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Photo\/Stella M. Ch\u00e1vez\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-490 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2015-chance___aid_portrait_edited.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-490\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">April 2015: Chance gets an aide, Edgar Ortiz, to help him take notes in 10th grade. Photo\/Stella M. Ch\u00e1vez<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-491 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2015-chance_in_hallway_edited.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-491\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">April 2015. Photo\/ Stella M. Ch\u00e1vez<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-492 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2016-chance_hawkins.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-492\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">May 2016. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-493 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2016-chance-class-766x575.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-493\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">May 2016: Chance Hawkins and his aide, Reuben Vaughn, during Algebra II class. <\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-494 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2017-Chance33-1024x685-913x685.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-494\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">May 2017: Chance is crowned Dunbar High's prom king. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-495 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/05\/2017-Chance34-1024x667-889x667.jpg\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-403 slide-495\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">May 2017. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        var metaslider_403 = function($) {\n            $('#metaslider_403').addClass('flexslider'); \/\/ theme\/plugin conflict avoidance\n            $('#metaslider_403').flexslider({ \n                slideshowSpeed:3000,\n                animation:\"fade\",\n                controlNav:true,\n                directionNav:true,\n                pauseOnHover:true,\n                direction:\"horizontal\",\n                reverse:false,\n                animationSpeed:600,\n                prevText:\"&lt;\",\n                nextText:\"&gt;\",\n                slideshow:true\n            });\n        };\n        var timer_metaslider_403 = function() {\n            var slider = !window.jQuery ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_403, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_403, 1) : metaslider_403(window.jQuery);\n        };\n        timer_metaslider_403();\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n<!--\/\/ meta slider-->\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/2016\/05\/01\/student-wont-let-debilitating-disease-stop-him\/\" target=\"_blank\">Student Won&#8217;t Let Debilitating Disease Stop Him<\/a> (2016)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/2016\/05\/17\/a-day-in-the-life-of-chance-hawkins\/\" target=\"_blank\">A Day In The Life Of Chance Hawkins<\/a> (2016)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/class-17-fort-worth-student-rare-disease-aide-makes-all-difference?\" target=\"_blank\">Class Of &#8217;17: For Fort Worth Student With Rare Disease, Aide Makes All The Difference<\/a>\u00a0(2015)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/class-17-working-his-independence\" target=\"_blank\">Class Of &#8217;17: Working On His Independence<\/a>\u00a0(2014)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/meet-class-17-fighting-through-physical-limits-sunny-disposition\" target=\"_blank\">Meet The Class Of &#8217;17: Fighting Through Physical Limits With A Sunny Disposition<\/a>\u00a0(2013)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/class-17-another-chance-high-school\" target=\"_blank\">Class Of &#8217;17: Another Chance At High School<\/a>\u00a0(2013)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/keranews.org\/post\/class-17-finding-way-through-high-school\" target=\"_blank\">Class Of &#8217;17: Finding A Way Through High School<\/a>\u00a0(2013)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chance Hawkins, 19,\u00a0was born with a rare genetic degenerative disease&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":545,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[25,26],"class_list":["post-483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-graduate-class-of-17","tag-american-graduate-class-of-17","tag-chance-hawkins","post_format-post-format-audio","byline-stella-m-chavez"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=483"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":777,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions\/777"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/class-of-17\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}