Born to drug-addicted parents in the Bronx, Liz often "supports" her parents rather than attends school. She digs through the garbage with her father to collect items to sell for drugs or she keeps an eye out for the arrival of the postal carrier bringing the welfare check and watches the money disappear for drugs rather than food. Liz attends school dirty and has lice-infested hair, resulting in her classmates taunting her. She skips so many classes that she is put into a girls' home. At 15, Liz's mother dies of AIDS and Liz becomes homeless. In spite of the odds, she completes her high school diploma and wins a scholarship to an Ivy League school.--Ministry of Education website.

English language arts 30 (2013). Note: The text contains drug use and episodes of prostitution. Educators are advised to consult their local learning resources evaluation policy before using this resource.--Ministry of Education website.