Ann Arbor Tech graduate succeeds on his own: 'I never imagined he'd be the one giving speeches'

Not five minutes would pass without it being called.

Honorary student speaker… “DeAndre Booker.”

Rotary scholarship award winner… “DeAndre Booker.”

Most improved GPA….Principal’s Distinguished Honors Award…the list kept growing.

When the graduates rose for the ceremonial flipping of the tassels on their caps, it was no surprise who would lead them.

Who else?

DeAndre Booker.

“I never imagined he’d be the one giving the speeches…flipping the hat,” said Booker’s older sister, Glenda Booker, who along with her mother, Victoria, watched proudly on Monday with tears in their eyes.

They weren’t necessarily proud of the boy they raised. They were proud of the man who grew up on his own

Glenda became DeAndre’s legal guardian when Victoria -- a recovering alcoholic who also suffers from schizophrenia and dementia -- abandoned him. DeAndre was 4 years old, Glenda, 24, and fresh out of college.

It was the only choice.

The arrangement worked until DeAndre began “attending” Mumford High School in Detroit.

“He didn’t want to go to school,” Glenda recalls. “I would drop him off at high school and I would get a call from our next door neighbor just about every day stating that (he was at the house).”

After battling with DeAndre over seemingly everything, Glenda surrendered her guardianship rights and DeAndre became a ward of the state at 16.

Booker, 19, said he had nightmarish experiences at boys homes.

“To an extent, you’re treated like an animal,” Booker said back in October. “You feel like you’re in a zoo because everyone is flying around and doing this and that.”

Booker eventually became involved with Fostering Futures, an Ypsilanti-based non-profit that helped him find independent living arrangements. He got a job at Kroger, which helps pay rent and his other expenses along with a stipend he receives from the state.

“I usually work on weekends and on weekdays. (During the week) it’s school then I usually get to work 5-10, come home, eat, work out, study, eat,” Booker said. “I always just try to keep my time manageable.”

After years of negative experiences with social workers, Booker said he started working with people who clearly cared about him at Ann Arbor Tech and with Fostering Futures. He’s thrived academically despite shouldering the responsibilities of work, school and providing for himself.

Living on his own, as it turns out, suited Booker. He's earned many merit-based scholarships and went from a 1.5 GPA to a 3.5. He’ll begin working toward a bachelor’s degree in social work in the fall at WCC with plans to transfer to Eastern Michigan University.

“I’ve seen (the profession) from the inside, I know what kids could be experiencing and think I can help,” Booker said. “I know how to react to almost anything.”

Jennifer DeVivo, CEO of Fostering Futures, attended Monday’s graduation and couldn’t contain her tears at the thought of her organization motivating Booker to become involved in the profession.

“He was one of our first kids in the program and," she paused, choking back tears, "it’s why we do this."

Booker is very involved in helping his mother through her struggles and told his fellow graduates on Monday that she is his inspiration to continue his education and be a social worker.

It was music to Glenda’s ears.

“When he was in Detroit, he wasn’t thinking about school, he wasn’t thinking about working,” Glenda said, with tears rolling down her cheeks. “He came out here to the Ypsilanti-Ann Arbor area, and DeAndre has turned completely around…I very seldom hear from him, now. He’s always working, studying or in school.”

Contact Pete Cunningham at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.