A Plus: Brighton High School's Tony Halliday

BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE STORY OF ONE OF THOSE TEENS WHO IS DETERMINED TO SUCCEED IN LIFE. >> DON'T YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU WANNA JUST WANT TO BE A KI >> WELL, I NEVER REALLY WAS A KID. >> BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR TONY HALLIDAY HAD TO GROW UP FAST. HE SAYS AN UNSTABLE HOME ENVIRONMENT, HAVING NO MONEY AND AT TIMES NO FOOD, FORCED HIM TO SKIP SCHOOL SO HE COULD WORK UNDER-THE-TABLE JOBS AND WAIT IN LINE AT FOOD PANTRIES. I WAS ABSENT MAYBE 69 TIMES FRESHMAN YEAR, 50 SOPHOMORE YEAR -- SOPHOMORE YEAR. >> TRYING TO GET FOOD? >> JUST TRYING TO LIVE. >> TONY ADMITS HE WASN'T AT HIS BEST HIS FIRST TWO YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMICALLY, MENTALLY, AND PHYSICALLY. HE SAYS HIS FRIENDS, COACHES, AND FOOTBALL TEAMMATES NOTICED. SO DID DCF. HE'LL NEVER FORGET THE CONVERSATION WITH HIS SOCIAL WORKER. >> SHE CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, DO YOU WANT TO LIVE HERE? I LOOKED RIGHT IN HER EYES AND SAID NO I WANT TO LEAVE. I WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE. THERE'S NO WAY I CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AND BE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT. >> THAT WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO. NOW 18, LEGALLY AN ADULT, TONY HAS CHOSEN TO STAY IN DCF CARE. HE LIVES IN A GROUP HOME, KEEPS HIS GRADES UP IN SCHOOL, DETERMINED TO GRADUATE AND MAKE A LIFE FOR HIMSELF SO YOU WANNA SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVITY? POSITIVITY IS MY MAIN THING I AM FOCUSED ON IN GENERAL WITH EVERYTHING. >> AND A LOT OF THAT POSITIVITY COMES FROM RUNNING TRACK AND PLAYING FOOTBALL. I WAS NUMBER FIVE. TONY'S BEEN ON BRIGHTON'S FOOTBALL TEAM ALL FOUR YEARS. HE SAYS IT'S PART OF WHAT HELPED HIM THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES, AND BROUGHT OUT HIS POTENTIAL. >> I WOULD SAY FOOTBALL BROUGHT OUT THE TENACITY, THE HUNGER TO WANT, TO SEE THE BAD AND WANT THE GOOD. >> BUT AS MUCH AS HE'S GOTTEN OUT OF FOOTBALL, HE'S CERTAINLY PUT BACK IN. >> HE'S MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PRACTICE, HE'S CHECKING LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT. HE IS JUST VERY THOUGHTFUL. >> AND PASSIONATE ABOUT SUCCEEDING ON THE FIELD, AND IN LIFE. TONY HALLIDAY OF BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL, THIS WEEK'S A PLUS. ♪ MARIA: TONY SAYS HE'LL BE STARTING OFF IN COMMUNIT COLLEGE NEXT YEAR, EVENTUALLY HE WANTS TO BE A PHYSICAL THERAPIS HE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GO BACK TO BRIGHTON AND WORK IN THE SCHOOL'S ATHLETICS DEPARTMEN I AM 100% SURE THEY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE