'I was born in prison'; Overcoming hardships to reach Harvard; Aurora Sky Castner becomes an inspiration

A girl who was born while her mother was in prison has earned admission to Harvard University through hard work. The story of Aurora Sky Castner, who overcame extremely difficult life circumstances, has become an inspiration across the world.

Born in a prison, Aurora’s life was filled with challenges from the very beginning. However, with her father’s support and the “Project Mentor” program of the Conroe Independent School District, she found guidance. Through this program, she was paired with mentor Mona Hamby, who taught her how a girl born into poverty and hardship could still aim for great achievements.

Through extraordinary effort, Aurora graduated with top honors from Conroe High School in May 2023, opening the door to Harvard University. She began her application essays with the words, “I was born in prison.” Her academic accomplishments, combined with her personal story and her dream of studying law, helped her secure admission to Harvard.