. >> without hesitation , nathan pittman flows freely among classmates and a theater class he wants never would have joined. >> being your true self, being comfortable with being your true self. >> it is a very different side of the 18-year-old who not long ago was quickly spiraling down a dark path. >> some of the fights, i ended up hurting kids real bad. was arrested for it. >> persistence leads to changed course and a timely introduction to teri delane became a turning point. >> i knew he had some challenges from his past but he has this leadership warmth. >> the truth hits you hard. when somebody notices where you are going before you are there. >> delane intimately knows what is living on the streets and where that leads. >> i ran away at 13. at age 14 i had a needle in my arm. from 14 to 20, i was a heroin addict. >> she turned her life around to recovery at the delancey foundation in san francisco. her focus is now on at risk high school students. >> basically, what you will find in their background is a youth life full of trauma , violence, running away, et cetera >> the on-campus

. >> without hesitation, nathan pittman flows freely among classmates and a theater class he wants never would have joined. >> being your true self, being comfortable with being your true self. >> it is a very different side of the 18-year-old who not long ago was quickly spiraling down a dark path. >> some of the fights, i ended up hurting kids real bad and i was arrested for it. >> persistent pleas changed course and a timely introduction to the founder of life learning academy on treasure island became a turning point. >> i knew he had some challenges from his past but, he has this leadership warmth. >> somebody notices your path, where you are going before you are there. >> teri delane intimately knows what it is like living on the street and where that leads. >> i was running away at 13. at age 14 i had a needle in my arm. from 14 to 20, i was a heroin addict. >> she turned her life around through recovery at the delancey street foundation in san francisco. focus now centers around at risk students. >> basically, what you will find in their background is a youth life full of trauma,

kenny choi introduces you now to nathan pittman. >> reporter: without hesitation, nathan pittman flowses in a theater class he once never would have joined. >> to be in oakland, being your true self and being comfortable with being your true self. >> reporter: ita very different side to the 18-year-old who not long ago was quickly spiraling down a dark path. >> some of the fights i ended up hurting the kids real bad and i was arrested for it. >> reporter: persistent pleas to change course and a timely introduction to teri delane, the founder of life learning academy on treasure island, became a turning point. >> i knew he had some challenges from his past. but he has this -- leadership warmth. >> the truth hits you hard. like where -- where somebody notices your -- like where you are going before you are there. >> reporter: delane intimately knows what it's like living on the streets and where that often leads. >> i was running away at 13. at age 14, i had a needle in my arm. from 14 to 20, i was a heroin addict. >> reporter: she turned her life around through recovery at the delancey

. >> without hesitation, nathan pittman flows freely among classmates and a theater class he wants neverld have joined. >> to be in oakland, being your true self, being comfortable. >> it is a very different side of the 18-year-old who not long ago was quickly spiraling down a dark path. >> some of the fights, i ended up hurting kids real bad and i was arrested for it. >> persistence pleas changed course. a timely introduction to teri delane became a turning point . >> i knew he had some challenges from his past but he has the leadership warmth. >> the truth is, when somebody notices where you are going before you are there. >> delaney intimately knows what it is like living on the streets and where that often leads. >> at age 14, from 14 to 20, a heroin addict. >> she turned her life around through discovery -- recovery. are focused now centers around at risk high school students. >> basically, what you will find in their background is a youth life full of trauma, violence, running away. >> the on-campus storm is home to those in dire need of a safe, supervised space. she initiated the

. >> reporter: without hesitation, nathan pittman flows freely among classmates in a theater class heined. >> to be in oakland, being your true self and being comfortable with being your true self-of. >> reporter: a very different side to the 18-year-old who not long ago was quickly spiraling down a dark path. >> some of the fights i ended up hurting the kids real bad and i was arrested for it. >> reporter: pleas to change course and a timely introduction to terry delaney, the founder of life learning academy on treasure island, became a turning point. >> i knew he had some challenges from his past. but he has this -- leadership warmth. >> the truth hits you hard. like where -- where somebody notices your -- like where you are going before you are there. >> reporter: delaney intimately know what is it's lightning living on the streets and where that often leads. >> running away at 13. at age 14, i had a needle in my arm. from 14 to 20, i was a heroin addict. >> reporter: she turned her life around through recovery at the delancey street foundation in san francisco. her focus now cente