Buck Mayden was a mess.
He was doing drugs. He had lost his friends and family. He was going nowhere in a maximum hurry.
Then the light bulb flashed on. The light shined on his failures and he asked himself: Is this the life I want to lead? The answer was obvious. No.
What did he do? Realizing that education provides a "universe of possibilities," Mayden began pursuing his degree at Amarillo College. He's on his way back and he tells his story on the next edition of "Live Here," which airs Thursday night at 7 on Panhandle PBS.
The segment, which is posted above, is titled "Educational Attainment," a most descriptive label to put on a segment that tells -- through Buck Mayden's eyes -- the value of getting an education, pursuing a goal, achieving it and using what you've accomplished to further your own future.
"There's always hope," Mayden said. "Education is a big part of finding that hope."
He lives in a dormitory room at Faith City Ministries. He attends classes at West Texas A&M University. Mayden is older than most of his WTAMU colleagues, some of whom occasionally go out clubbing, partying and raising just a little of the dickens after hours. That's not for Mayden. He's in his 30s and doesn't believe the party life is conducive to what he wants to accomplish.
He tells Panhandle PBS of the discipline he's had to impose on himself just to get through any given day. His room at Faith City Ministries is comfortable and he's able to establish a few amenities that provide him a safe haven from outside pressure.
The next segment is brief, but it will be accompanied by a discussion of the value of educational attainment. Viewers are invited to join the conversation, which you can do online using the hashtag #LiveHerePBS.
"Live Here" is an ongoing public affairs series that Panhandle PBS has developed to enrich the community discussion.
So ... let's talk.
