Their families have ended up on the street for different reasons, but they have one thing in common: they all dream of a home of their own where they can be safe and happy.

Jarifri, 11

“Me, my brother and my parents live in a small motel room. Lots of homeless people live here. Frank, my tutor from School on Wheels, comes here once a week and helps me with my homework. Since we started working together, my grades have gone up.”

“It’s alright to live in a crowded space, it makes our family come together. Every weekend, my dad and I perform at Venice Beach. He’s a clown and I dance, in gold clothes and a gold hat. I’ve been dancing ever since I learned to walk, and I’ve got a red belt in taekwondo. I started learning martial arts for self-defense. There are a lot of bullies at my school.”

Dream home: A blue house with a black door in Las Vegas, because I like all the lights there. We’ll have four bedrooms, four wardrobes and two bathrooms.
Looks up to: My big brother, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley.
Likes: Dancing, taekwondo, school.

Shatrea, 12

“We’ve been homeless since mom left our dad because he was mean to her. We’ve lived in lots of different places. With relatives, in motels and in a car. For a while, we moved almost every day. Now we live in transitional housing. It’s called that because we’ve come halfway to getting an apartment of our own.”

“Mom works and saves money so we can survive. This shelter is pretty good. There’s a playground outside and there are lots of kids to play with. School on Wheels built a special learning room with books, drawing stuff and computers. I go there to draw and to meet my tutor.”

Dream home: A big pink house with four bedrooms, a big kitchen and a backyard with swings, no, a whole playground. I want my own room, in blue and white.
Looks up to: My mom
Likes: Playing.

Cesar, 12

“We’ve been homeless for years. The worst thing about it is moving around so much. We have to drag all our stuff around on the bus. We lose things a lot. I’ve lost loads of my favorite things, stuff I really need. That makes me sad and angry. ”

“Living in a shelter is OK because there are loads of kids there. But the rules are too strict. Us kids don’t have any freedom and we have to be quiet the whole time. I like School on Wheels because they’ve helped me so much. Sometimes I lose touch with my tutor when we move, but we always manage to get back together.”

Dream home: A white mansion with white walls and shiny wooden floors, a swimming pool and a skatepark. Every day I’ll invite all my family and friends for a huge big buffet with amazing food. I’ll have a widescreen TV and all the game consoles you can get.
Looks up to: My big brother, who listens when I need someone to talk to.
Likes: Skateboarding, swimming, eating pizza and ice cream, reading.

Matthew, 12

“The worst thing about being homeless is having to change school all the time. I’ve been to three different schools in the last year. I’m always nervous when I change school, it’s hard to try to fit in and make new friends. ”

“Right now I live in a shelter with my mom, two sisters, and two brothers. I have a tutor from School on Wheels who is really great. I hope she can keep helping me even if we move again. We’ve lived in different shelters and motels, and this is the best place so far.

“Our last shelter was in a rough area with a lot of gangs. They were always shooting at night. But I miss the friends I made there. My dream for the future is to stop the violence and to become a professional skater or a police officer.”

Dream home: A big house with a huge TV and a skatepark out back.
Looks up to: Dustin Dollin, the skater.
Likes: Skateboarding, video games.

Kibsaim, 8

“I think I’ve always been homeless. My mom, my sister, my little brother and I move around. We’ve lived in shelters in Los Angeles. Sometimes we go to Mexico. The worst thing about staying in shelters is having to get up so early. ”

“When we’re in Los Angeles I go to School on Wheels almost every day. My tutor Crystal helps me with my homework and takes me on outings. When I grow up I want to be a teacher too. I want to learn to swim, but it seems hard. I’ve never been to the ocean, but I’ve heard that it’s really pretty there.”

Dream home: A pink house with white stripes. My room will have pink walls with red flowers. The house will be on the beach and it’ll have a big garden with a slide and a pool.
Looks up to: My tutor.
Likes: Computers