A fairy tale is a short story that usually features magical and imaginary characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants and witches, and lands so desirable it would make you as happy as a “room without a roof.”
This story is a fairytale. However, the characters are real, not fictional. And it all began six years ago, at the best non-profit organization in the world—Future Foundation.
Cornelius Harper, affectionately known as Cornbread, attended Tri-Cities High School while actively participating in various programs, activities and special events at Future Foundation. These activities included the Teen Center After-school Program, RealTalk, Back to School Rally and Future is Now. Cornelius said Future Foundation helped him develop public speaking and writing skills, formulate a plan for the future, and learn how to network and meet new people.
Cornelius met his true love, Janvier Lewis, six years ago at Future Foundation’s teen center summer camp program. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Janvier attended our summer camp for three years. It was love at first sight for the dynamic duo, and a three-year courtship followed. Through the RealTalk program, Cornelius and Janvier were able to identify key components of a healthy relationship, which led to their marriage on March 1, 2014. The couple proved that a long distance relationship could prevail, because effective communication was key and was the bond that held them together.
Cornelius attributes his success and the way he has mapped out his future to the mentoring and guidance received from Future Foundation. Even though Future Foundation is a business, it was the family environment, numerous opportunities, exposure and love shown to him, his bride, and his siblings, Quentin and D’Ona Harper, that kept them focused.
Cornelius is attending LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia, and will graduate on May 20, 2014 with a B.A. in Sociology. Janvier attends the Art Institute of Atlanta, in Decatur, Georgia, majoring in Animation.
We wish Cornelius and Janvier the very best for their lives, and we are excited the fairy tale began here, in East Point, Georgia, at Future Foundation.
– written by Eddrena Clark, RealTalk ATL Program Manager
