Today we’d like to introduce you to Festus Amoye. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Festus is the second of four children born to Omotara and Maurice Amoye who immigrated to the United States in the 1980s to achieve the “American Dream”. However, in an unfortunate turn of events, both parents passed away during his teen years leaving him lonely, depressed and without hope. In his search for direction and guidance, he often found himself coming up short. Although tough, Festus nor his siblings were crushed. He pushed forward as a first-generation, minority, and non-traditional student. While achieving academic success, Festus realized the lessons he had learned in overcoming difficult life circumstances could help others do the same. He went on to join the military, assisting over 15 students to enroll in college and earn scholarships and loan repayment programs totaling over $450,000. He also earned nearly $90,000 in scholarships for his own educational endeavors this led to him writing his first book and founding the educational technology company titled Laddering Your Success.
His siblings have also since graduated with one as a fireman, nurse, and one with a degree in accounting. He has been blessed to marry Lakesha Amoye and have 2 rambunctious boys. Other achievements – Phi Theta Kappa member, Alpha Chi member, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, multiple dean’s lists (3x).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would like to tell you a story. It’s a personal story. A story that aligns well with strength of perseverance – fueled by black excellence!
Two migrants traveled to a foreign land…in the pursuit of a dream. As dreams power us through in pursuit of many things, as this couple did as well, with little resources, no family and to a place of where they knew no one living there….
They couldn’t imagine what they would face traveling to this new land. A place in where they would seek education and a better way of life.
Omotara and Maurice Amoye who immigrated to the United States in the 1980s to achieve the “American Dream”. And these two fearless dreamers were my parents.
They began their education in Oklahoma. I remember my father telling me while studying agriculture and engineering, he had a professor comment, “Why do you people come here? Why don’t you go back to Africa”? and by the way…that professor was black.
I share this powerful moment in this story today, because it takes more than an academic degrees to reach success. I respect education, but more importantly, I admire enablers in the positive sense, as they are dream makers. Those that empower and inspire.
So after leaving Oklahoma, my parents packed up and moved here as the Nigerian population of Houston began growing. Once here, I was born as the second of four children.
They finally settled in Alief.
However, after moving here my family suffered from an unfortunate turn of events, as both of my parents passed away while I was a teenager.
My mom when I was a freshman at Elsik, and two years later, my dad when I was a junior. My younger siblings were sent back to Nigeria to live with our family there since we didn’t have any family here.
This left me lonely, depressed and without hope…and so I struggled.
I remember having my apartment and only making enough money to cover rent and electricity. I slept on top of my clothes until I could afford an air mattress. I remember the first time I went to go get groceries and realized that I didn’t have anything to cook with or eat out of so I bought the cheapest set of pots and hotdogs. A few weeks later a friend asked me why I was eating cereal out of a pot, and I told him that I couldn’t afford bowls.
By then, my old manager had given me the furniture that he was about to throw out.
During my struggle, I lacked direction and guidance and often found myself coming up short. I was in the bottom half of my high school graduating class. I felt as though I had no options for the future. Separated from my family, lacking consistent guidance and support, based on my experience with football I knew that I thrived in team environments so I decided to join the Army Reserves where I eventually spent 10 years. This was where I began to find my first mentors.
Although my siblings and I were crushed emotionally and our parents were unable to leave a financial legacy, they left something more powerful. What they left for me was a strong spiritual legacy and paved the way for mentors and others to speak into our lives.
Just to name a few of my mentors, Sgt Dalmyda, Sgt Cox, Sgt Reese, Major Roker, Major McFarland and many more. Also lifelong friends like Heston Young, Brian Davis, and others that have passed on but have shared their light with me.
I pushed forward as a first-generation, minority, and non-traditional student. At Houston community college where I was blessed to find more mentors and friends Israel, Zandra, Belinda, Synettra, Dwayne and so many others such as Mr. Donald Bowers.
I found support in organizations such as the minority male initiative, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS).
Also through my local church and Pastors Tibbs, and Long, Greg, Fred, Kortney Fenly, and June Buford, Norma Jackson.
These are people you’ve never heard of that helped me graduate. This is where the story turns and the plot thickens
While achieving my own academic success, I realized the lessons I had learned in overcoming difficult life circumstances could help others do the same. Although I had my share of problems, I began giving back through youth ministry and youth groups eventually assisting over 15 students to enroll in college (most at Houston Community College) and helping them earn scholarships and loan repayment programs totaling over $450,000. I’m proud to say that included in that number were my siblings who were blessed to return back here from Nigeria.
As of now, my entire family has been supported by HCC, with my sisters Victoria and Christine both graduating and went on to get their bachelor’s degrees in accounting and nursing. While my brother Maurice completed the firefighter program and is now serving in the Katy area.
I began to document what I learned as I gathered more experience eventually earning around $87,000 in scholarships for my own educational endeavors. Those funds were vital not just paying for my education but also in the reunification of my family as I had taken on the role of breadwinner and primary support at age 20.
So this legacy my parents left for me has also blossomed beyond my expectations, however, it was their dreams that seeded my fortunes because they dared to dream and even more so…pursue those dreams.
You see, I took those learnings and did the following: Completed my bachelor’s degree (less than 35% of black males do) at Houston Baptist University. Authored a book which turned into an educational technology company called Laddering Your Success that offers a proven path to success for anyone looking for a better tomorrow. We give practical and under-discussed strategies to remove roadblocks, define success, and build a foundation for growth. We help students successfully prepare for life, college or a career after high school by partnering with schools, parents, community organizations and teachers by creating technology that fosters relationships. And lastly, Labor Day 2021 – Laddering for Success will be releasing an app that will game change, create and empower a new approach for teachers’ lesson planning – by seamlessly integrating life skills, soft skills, and mentoring into standards-based curriculum.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Laddering Your Success (LYS) assists students and empower all education stakeholders for long-term success through leveraging technology and fostering relationships. We are a Houston based social profit organization focused on helping students turn today’s dreams into a future of unlimited possibilities.
We have created a revolutionary technology that allows teachers to embed the LYS Being, Knowing, Doing, process into lesson plans creating supplemental character and career based learning materials into the TEKS standards of learning. Within 2 years, we hope this will be available across America.
What matters most to you?
Assisting students to realize their dreams.
Pricing:
- LYS Classroom App starts at 12.97 a month introductory pricing
- The LYS Scholarship Book at $15
- The LYS Guide Book is $13.99
Contact Info:
- Email: festus.amoye@ladderingyoursuccess.com
- Website: www.ladderingyoursuccess.com
- Instagram: @BeKnowDo_LYS
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ladderingyoursuccess.com
Image Credits
Festus Amoye
Kai Dunna
Freedom54
