Conroe grad born in jail to fulfill dream of attending Harvard

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Conroe High School senior Sky Castner, right, hugs her mentor, Mona Hamby, as she tells her not to cry before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

The decorated cap of Conroe High School senior Sky Castner reads "Harvard 2027 Bound" before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner, right, jokes with Blake Canny, before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner gives a thumb-up to a child in a car that wishes her good luck as her mentor, Mona Hamby, looks on before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner, right, adjusts the tassel of Blake Canny, before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner, right, reacts as she visit with Shellie Winkler, Conroe ISD Assistant Superintentent for Elementary Schools, alongside her mentor, Mona Hamby, before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner graduated summa cum laude during a ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner, 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner checks with Blake Canny, not seen, which way to turn her tassel before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner waits in line before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner, left, gets help fixing her help from her mentor, Mona Hamby, before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner, right, laughs after telling her mentor, Mona Hamby, not to cry before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner puts on heels before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner, right, makes a sad face as she tells her mentor, Mona Hamby, not to cry before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

The decorated cap of Conroe High School senior Sky Castner reads "Harvard 2027 Bound" before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Conroe High School senior Sky Castner fixes her hair before a graduation ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Thursday, May 25, 2023, in The Woodlands. Castner , 18, was born while her mother was in jail, and will graduate No. 3 in her class and attend Harvard University in the fall.

With support from her mentor Mona Hamby, 18-year-old Sky Castner, who was born while her mother was in jail, will graduate No. 3 in her class at Conroe High Thursday night and attend Harvard University in the fall.

With support from her mentor Mona Hamby, 18-year-old Sky Castner, who was born while her mother was in jail, will graduate No. 3 in her class at Conroe High Thursday night and attend Harvard University in the fall.

Sky Castner participated in the "Grad Walk" at her former Reaves Elementary School. With support from her mentor Mona Hamby, 18-year-old Sky Castner, who was born while her mother was in jail, will graduate No. 3 in her class at Conroe High Thursday night and attend Harvard University in the fall.

With support from her mentor Mona Hamby, 18-year-old Sky Castner, who was born while her mother was in jail, will graduate No. 3 in her class at Conroe High Thursday night and attend Harvard University in the fall. Shown are Castner, 8, and Hamby on their first meeting with the Project Mentor program in 2013.

The opening line of Conroe High School graduate Sky Castner's essay application to Harvard University says "I was born in prison."

Castner, 18, was born in the Galveston County Jail. Her mother was incarcerated at the time of her birth. Her dad picked the newborn Castner up from the jail and raised her as a single dad.

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On Thursday, she graduated No. 3 in Conroe High's class of 2023 and in the fall will live out her dream of attending Harvard University to study law.

Castner grew up moving around a lot with her dad, but always stayed in Montgomery County.

As she advanced in school, her competitive nature kicked in.

"There was something satisfying about having all As and having that accomplishment," she said. "Grades just meant a lot to me."

At Reaves Elementary school in Conroe, Castner was a voracious reader. The school staff felt she could benefit from CISD's Project Mentor program, which partners community volunteers with students who need a little extra time with a caring adult. The district connected her with her mentor, Mona Hamby.

"I was given a paper about her. Her hero was Rosa Parks, her favorite food was tacos from Dairy Queen and she loved to read. I thought this sounds like a bright little girl," Hamby said. "I still have that paper today."

Hamby helped Castner with things like getting glasses and her first salon haircut. Dentists, orthodontists and community leaders helped her with her teeth and helped her have experiences like summer camp.

"It was a very different environment than I grew up in and that's not a bad thing," Castner said. "Everything that Mona taught me was very valuable in the same way that everything that I went through before Mona was very valuable."

They bonded over both not having a mother. Castner said she has only spoken to her birth mother once when she was 14.

"She told me ‘I’ve been to jail.’ I said "No, that can't be right,’" Hamby said. "I knew that I can't just go eat lunch with this kid once a week, she needed more."

Warner Phelps, president of the Conroe Noon Lions Club said members of the club have known Castner since she was in elementary school.

"She's grown up with us," Phelps said.

Last fall, Castner won a drug awareness speech contest hosted by the club, which also awarded her a $2,000 scholarship. Castner's speech was about the fentanyl crisis.

"She earned it," Phelps said Castner's win. "Her poise and presentation skills stood out."

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Throughout high school, Castner has been part of The Academy for Health and Science Professions at Conroe High School, and she said being in that environment pushed her to do her academic best.

The primary mission of the academy is to prepare students who are interested in science, mathematics and their applications for future success.

She also worked with James Wallace, who is a professor at Boston University, to prepare her Harvard application.

"He helped me to tell my story in the best way possible," she said.

Hamby and her husband, Randy, toured the Harvard campus with Castner in March 2022 and Castner's mind was set.

"After that trip, I saw her love for the school intensify," Hamby said.

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