▁by ▁a ▁single ▁mother ▁in ▁a ▁pover ty - str icken ▁area . ▁After ▁a ▁field ▁trip ▁to ▁the ▁Jet ▁Prop ulsion ▁Labor atory ▁in ▁Pas ad ena , ▁California ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁six , ▁Le Point ▁decided ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁ro cket ▁scient ist . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 0 , ▁she ▁was ▁st ab bed ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁by ▁a ▁gang ▁member ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁her ▁transfer ▁to ▁a ▁gift ed ▁magnet ▁school ▁where ▁she ▁began ▁to ▁fail ▁math ▁before ▁a ▁teacher ▁helped ▁turn ▁around ▁her ▁gr ades . ▁ ▁After ▁middle ▁school , ▁Le Point ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁study ▁at ▁Alexander ▁Hamilton ▁Music ▁Academy ▁within ▁Alexander ▁Hamilton ▁High ▁School , ▁a ▁school ▁located ▁near ▁B ever ly ▁Hills , ▁California . ▁She ▁graduated ▁from ▁Alexander ▁Hamilton ▁High ▁School ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 6 , ▁and ▁left ▁home ▁to ▁enter ▁studies ▁at ▁California ▁State ▁University , ▁North ridge . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁en roll ment , ▁Le Point ▁was ▁caught ▁in ▁a ▁col laps ing ▁campus ▁residence ▁building ▁where ▁she ▁surv ived ▁the ▁cat ast roph ic ▁January ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁North ridge ▁earth qu ake , ▁which ▁destroyed ▁the ▁university ▁campus , ▁inj uring ▁ 8 , 7 0 0 , ▁and ▁killing ▁her ▁class mate ▁among ▁the ▁ 5 6 ▁others . ▁Le Point ▁continued ▁at ▁California ▁State ▁University ▁North ridge ▁to ▁study ▁and ▁t utor ▁mathematics ▁receiving ▁the ▁Kar en , ▁Leo ▁and ▁R ita