DeKALB | NIU student Regina Johnson will see herself on TV today in a documentary called “Nobody Told Me” on NBC.

Johnson went to Manley Career Academy on the west side of Chicago, where most students did not reach graduation, she said. A 2005 study conducted by the Illinois State Board of Education found that graduation rates in the Chicago Public School District were 70.7 percent in 2004.

But instead of taking that route, Johnson worked at an after-school job and did volunteer work on top of her academic load.

“Our resources were limited, but I got by with what we had,” Johnson said. “I would ask for help and get all my work done.”

Johnson also enrolled in the College Excel Program, a program for Chicago high school students that enrolls them in courses at area colleges.

Coincidentally, academic advisors had been contacted by NBC because test scores at the school had been unusually high, even higher than some of the private schools in the area.

When the advisors saw how well Johnson was doing in school, they asked her if she would like to be part of a documentary about inner city students who overcame the problems they faced and were going to college. The documentary focuses on her life and the lives of three other inner-city Chicago students.

“One of them goes to Ohio State and studied abroad in Africa, another one is at Chicago State and the last one is at DeVry Institute,” Johnson said.

A camera followed Johnson around her entire senior year of high school.

“They would film me at work, at school and even packing for college visits,” Johnson said.

People got excited when they saw the film crew and Carol Marin from NBC, she said.

“Once they came to my job and everyone was looking at us,” Johnson said. “[Marin] really stirred it up.”

Johnson said it was a bit awkward to be followed around during daily activities. But overall, she is thankful for the experience and hopes others in DeKalb and Chicago will see the documentary and be inspired by herself and the other three students.

“I want [people] to realize that you can make it through anything that comes your way,” Johnson said.

The documentary will air today at 11 a.m. and again on Oct. 15 at noon on Channel 5. It will also be available on Comcast OnDemand.

Lauren Stott is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.