MEMPHIS -- A teenage boy in Tennessee used hard work, planning and dedication to earn enough money to pay for college before he even starts.



“I just stay away from the negativity and try to always be positive,” Kevuntez King told WHBQ.



King said he grew up in a single-parent home with his mother, whose influence paved his way to success.



“She just taught me how to be independent like she had it, (and) she just wanted me to go get it myself,” he said.



From age 12 to 17, King sold newspapers with one goal: earn enough to pay for his entire college education. And he did just that.



“When it came down to school, my mom didn't have to come out of pocket to do anything or I didn't have to take out any loans to go to school,” he told WHBQ.



He earned $200 every Sunday for five years straight and was just accepted into Tennessee State University.



King has this piece of advice to share: “Make sure you surround yourself with people that's trying to go up in life and not trying to bring you down. Just stay positive and always believe in yourself and push for it.”



