Drive, determination and grandparents help Maysville senior cross the finish line

Editor's Note: The Times Recorder is profiling seniors from area high schools in Muskingum County coinciding with graduations. They were nominated by school administrators.

ZANESVILLE − Maysville High School senior Ty Taylor has seen some bad days.

“When I was younger there were family situations,” said the 18-year-old. “I was taken away from my parents. I was about 8 years old.”

And then, unexpectedly, just before high school, two of his close friends each committed suicide.

“There were a lot of hardships,” said Taylor, who got a full-time job at 16 to help support himself and his grandparents.

At first, the adversities affected his academics in a negative way.

“In middle school, I didn’t really try as best I could,” he said. “I was a follower and not much of a leader.”

But upon entering high school, his mindset changed.

“I just saw myself getting older and not knowing what I was going to do, and I didn’t want to go down that path,” he said. “If you’re not doing good in academics, you’re not going to do well in anything else.”

Taylor, who will graduate Friday, was able to move from being a D student to now regularly making the honor roll or dean’s list.

“Everything that happened, it just pushed me to not end up in the same situation,” he said.

He credits much of his success to his grandparents.

“I grew up with them,” he said. “They’re the ones who helped me through everything.”

Guidance Counselor Rebecca McConnell agreed.

“His grandparents were here (at the school) asking the questions, showing up, getting involved in his learning and discipline, learning the technology, doing everything they could to raise this child in a new generation,” she said.

“They did all the extras to raise him. And that just shows their respect for education and us in the building.”

McConnell said the school worked with Taylor every step of the way to help him reach his goals.

“He’s made these goals for his life,” she said. “He realized, ‘I’m the one that can do that for myself and part of it is getting a high school diploma.’”

She said part of that was working with him on a work-based learning program.

“We were able to give him a work release because he proved to us he could maintain his grades and work full time,” she said.

It’s an approach they provide for all their students.

“It’s work we do on a daily basis,” she said of counseling the students, allow extra support when needed, help with clothes and food, transport to doctor’s offices and mental health appointments, among other community supports.

“We support them as a human being and not just a student. We need them in school. We need them here and in the seat. And that means we have to (support them holistically).”

Taylor said he always felt that support at Maysville.

“Everyone in the building helped me. Big or little,” he said. “I can’t really pinpoint who, or exactly what they did, but everyone supported me. That’s Maysville. Everyone around you is going to help you no matter what.”

And now, Taylor is looking toward his future. First stop, a brand-new job at the brand-new Academy Sports + Outdoors opening in Zanesville at the Northpointe Center.

“Eventually I want to get into a factory job and start saving as much money as I can,” he said. “Then I want to start taking real estate classes.”

Taylor said he used to watch a ton of home remodeling shows and loved it.

“I like seeing people’s faces when they enter homes they love,” he said. “The energy around it.”

McConnell said whatever path Taylor chooses, he’s going to be successful.

“His humbleness is inspiring,” she said. “He just did what he needed to do and look at his success. He made these choices and he worked hard to get himself here, and we’re all so proud of him for that. Ty decided what he wanted and what character he wanted to display, and he did it.”

And in his own humble way, he gives all the credit back to the two people who took him in at 8 years old and never let go.

“My grandparents helped me out a lot,” he said of his success. “They’re the ones who basically made me who I am today.”

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Drive, determination and grandparents help Maysville student graduate