When Kamar Banton moved from Jamaica to Litchfield, Maine in 2005, he had never been on a plane; had never been to the US; had never seen snow and was expecting to see lots of skyscrapers. Currently a junior at Oak Hill High School he plays varsity football and baseball and has made many friends while adjusting to life here.

When I was born in Jamaica, my dad was not around. He was in the US. It was me and my mom. She took care of me until I was nine years old. That is the time I met my dad. It was hard because I was a little kid and didn’t know my dad. I tried to live happy but I couldn’t because it was in my heart that I didn’t know him. I started to work when I was ten years old. I was doing anything and everything to get money because my mom and I did not have any.

I didn’t go to school for days because I needed money. In Jamaica people did not have that much. People died during robberies over the smallest things. It was hard to go to bed without food. But one day my mom said, “It’s going to be okay because I’m going to get a job tomorrow morning.” I was happy. I could go to school.

Then something bad began to happen. My mom had a crazy boyfriend. He beat her. I hated him for that but I couldn’t do anything about it because I was too small but I grew up with it in my heart. I wanted to kill him but my mother said , “No. You are going to live with your dad in the USA.” I was heartbroken to leave her. She knew that I felt bad. When she looked in my eyes she could see the tears but she said “It will be better this way. When I asked “What about my sister?” she said, “She is going too.”

Jody is one of my older sisters. She wasn’t around that much. It was just me and my younger brother and sister. I took care of them. It was hard because everyday I had to carry water on my head from down the street to my house.

I worked a lot and tried to stay out of trouble but the friends that I kept could not. I got into trouble with different gangs. My life had been a long journey because I did not have that much. I caused a lot of trouble in school and I got kicked out often. I was a “bad” kid because I had friends that did bad things.

It was time for me to leave Mom and move to the USA with my dad. I knew that life would change so that I would be a better kid. It was hard to move away from my mom. She could see how hard it was for me but she wanted the best for me and my sister.

So here is my advice for

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other kids:

1. Listen to your mom and dad so that your days will be longer. You need to honor and cherish them. I could have died young if I hadn’t have changed.

2. Don’t be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

3. Don’t think that you can’t change because you can. I did, so you can too!

4. There is a place and home for everyone.

5. Walk away from trouble. Find a way!

6. Stay in school.

7. Do the best that you can so that you and your friends can be better.

8. Beware of the friends you keep; there are good ones and bad ones. Make a choice.

Take my words because I have been there before. Peace out.