South Cobb High School senior finds power to face adversity through music class

Graduation season is in full effect, and for South Cobb High School senior, Mackenzie Dailey, her walk across the graduation stage in a couple of weeks will be monumental.

Dailey has faced homelessness and adversity, but her love of music kept her going to school.

"I was homeless through freshman and sophomore year. I was living at a hotel. I watched my dad pass away from fentanyl. There was a lot of drug use. It was really hard for me as a kid to witness and grow up," Dailey said.

It was a situation she was determined to endure.

"I was sold out of a mom. I was sold out of the father. I was sold out of everything. I was sold out of a house because of drugs," Dailey said.

The South Cobb senior says Jackie Smiley's music class kept her walking through the school doors as she faced uncertainty.

"Junior year, it got better. I said to myself, 'Oh my God, this is what I want to do. I want to create music.' It kept me in school and kept me coming back even through when I was homeless," Dailey said.

Smiley says Dailey's is a story of perseverance.

"I met her when she was a freshman, and life was falling apart around her. I've seen that kid get knocked down so many times," Smiley said.

She says Dailey has been instrumental in the school's performing arts programs.

"She runs our performing arts center for some of our events. Then she took that further when we started DJing and went to shadow at venues. She's worked her way up to working festivals. She's a driven young lady," Dailey said.

Dailey's passion led to her getting DJ gigs on the weekends.

"I work at many raves and many clubs," she said.

She's now looking forward to graduation.

"There's light at the end of the tunnel," Dailey said. 

After graduating, the senior plans to continue DJing and working in music production.