While most students worry about tomorrow's history test, freshman David Smith* has to worry about more important things: his mother's drug addiction, the whereabouts of his father and his own welfare. Smith was born the fourth of seven children in East Oakland to an abusive father and a drug-addicted mother. Smith grew up surrounded by drugs and gangs, with his uncle and grandmother the only two in his family who did not fall to the pressure. "I started smoking weed when I was seven," Smith said. "I had friends who had plants. They'd come over to my house and we'd joint. The first time I ever hit weed, I threw up." Not only did Smith start doing drugs the year he turned seven, but his family faced a series of tragic events. Smith was taken away from his mother because of her drug addiction, while his father was sent to jail for 17 years after killing three men over money. Smith was placed in a children's shelter, where he stayed for four years. While in the children's shelter, Smith was caught with marijuana and sent to juvenile hall for five months. "I was just really mad that I got caught - I didn't care," Smith said. "It [juvenile hall] was a bad experience. I didn't like it. I have a really bad temper, and I was restrained and slammed on my face." After his release, Smith was sent to a group home in San Jose. He ran away repeatedly, breaking into cars and homes and staying with friends and in motels. "I was arrested more than 15 times, but they'd just take me back to the group homes," Smith said. "I'd get caught, go back to the group home, shower, eat, change, and get some cigarettes and weed. Then I'd run away again. I went where I wanted to go. I did what I wanted to do." Smith stayed at nine different group homes, the last being Taylor Group Home in San Jose. After a short time, he ran away again, where his life as a drug dealer on the streets of Oakland began. "My cousin controls a drug-dealing block in West Oakland," Smith said. "If anyone that wasn't known came on the block, they'd be taken out and killed. One day my cousin gave me a quarter of dope. I chopped it up and made $400 in one day. At first I was scared, but after about a month I got to know people and they had my back." During the course of his five month career, Smith made over $30,000. "One day I had this guy who wanted $200 worth of dope," Smith said. "I was happy because I had never had that much money in my pocket before. Walking around with hundred dollar bills and fifty dollar bills in my pockets. That's all it was about, the money." After five months, Smith's streak of luck ran out. He was arrested for selling drugs to an undercover police officer and sent back to juvenile hall in San Jose. Smith's second experience in juvenile hall was the turning point of his life. "I don't want to go there again," Smith said. "That's why I'm trying to stay out and do good." Smith now lives with his grandmother in Stockton and is on probation. The road to goodness has been a rough ride. On his first day of school at Bear Creek, Smith got a referral, one detention and two phone calls home. Smith has had trouble adjusting from juvenile hall and life on the streets, but has managed and is trying hard now to stay in school. "About three weeks ago, I got another referral," Smith said. "My grandmother threatened to call my parole officer so I ran away and stayed with my cousin for a week while the police searched for me. But later we talked it out and I came back home." If Smith gets into trouble at or outside of school, his parole officer will be contacted and he may be taken away from his grandmother. Smith will have a probationary hearing early in May. Smith's father, after serving time in prison, was released from jail but Smith has been in contact with him only twice since his release. His mother, however, was released from jail after serving a year for drug possession and was out for three months before being sent back to jail. He has not seen her since he was seven. "I feel sorry for my mom," Smith said. "She shouldn't really be doing drugs, but I can't really do anything about it." Smith hopes to graduate from high school, even though his parents were unable to complete high school. He plans to join the Navy and become a jet pilot. On his latest report card, Smith earned a grade point average of 3.83. "I'm a pretty good student now," Smith said. "I'm trying really hard." Although Smith is doing well in school, he still has trouble relating to adults. "My grandma says I have selective hearing," Smith said, "that I can't listen to authority. I can't trust adults - I've been betrayed by too many in my life. I don't think before I act, but now I'm starting to do that." Smith still smokes marijuana occasionally, but for the most part has cleaned up his life. "I've had a lot of struggles," Smith said, "but now I can look back on when I wasn't doing too well, and look at myself now and know I'm doing good." *name changed