Today, in 2014, 22,712 young people are homeless in New York (“Basic”). Obtaining a high school diploma often proves to be an extreme challenge for those who do not have a permanent home, especially when they must spend their time preparing their next meal rather than going to class . Many struggle to get an adequate education, leading students to drop out. Imagining a homeless teenager not only attending high school, but graduating and going to an Ivy League university seems highly unlikely. Liz Murray is one of the few homeless young people who made it to Harvard University. Through her memoir Breaking Night, Liz shares her story about her parents' drug-filled lifestyle and the restrictions her teenage homelessness placed on her ability to receive an education. It brings to life the harsh reality and instability of life on the streets of New York in the 1990s, a challenge that thousands of young people still face today. Living without a home can put a person at high risk of ending up in dangerous situations. situations. These include the possibility of being harmed or exploited by others, raped or sexually abused, or engaging in illegal activities, such as prostitution or drug dealing, in order to earn a living (“Being” ). Added to these perils is the problematic issue of school attendance. Fifty percent of homeless youth, aged sixteen or older, reported dropping out, being expelled, or suspended (“NRS”). Often, a young person's attention will be more focused on their basic needs, namely food and shelter, and school is no longer a necessity for them. However, when a teenager wants to enroll and attend school, they face restrictions that prevent them from having this opportunity. Middle of article......About Homelessness: New York." Coalition for the Homeless. Coalition for the Homeless, nd Web. May 1, 2014. basic facts about homelessness homelessness-new-york-city>, “Being Homeless,” Women and Children’s Education Resource Network, December 1, 2011. Web, April 29, “Homeless Education Resource Network, ndWeb. . April 2014. .Murray, Liz. Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Homeless Journey to Harvard, New York: Hyperion, 2010. Print. “NRS statistics on runaways. » National Runaway Safeline. 2014. Web. April 29.. 2014. .