Arms shot into the air after Yaves “Street Pastor” Ellis asked “Who likes money?” as he held up a $20 bill. Cries of despondency then rang out as Ellis ripped the bill in half. Kids in the audience looked on in astonishment. Their family members grinned.
“So now I can go buy something for $10 with this half, right?” he asked with a smile as he looked at those who were most shocked.
Just as half of a $20 bill becomes meaningless without being whole, so do one’s dreams if compromised because of doubt, Ellis said. His point didn’t appear to be missed by those in attendance.
Ellis was the keynote speaker of Thursday’s 2010 Blueprint:College Kick-off Dinner at South Mifflin STEM elementary school. Ellis, a 2008 Ohio State alumnus, is the public affairs director for Radio One in Columbus. Ellis’ theme was dreams, and how kids should never allow others to deflate theirs.
After announcing his own dream to become mayor of Columbus in 15 years, Ellis chose some volunteers to share their 15-year visions.
One student received a standing ovation when she said in a very soft-spoken tone that she wants to travel to Africa to do humanitarian work. A younger student received a similar reception when she said she wants to be a scientist.
The young audience members were elementary students from eight Columbus City Schools in the Linden area. Their family members were there to hear about how the Blueprint program can turn dreams of college into a reality for their children.
Blueprint:College is a program for low-income families to create a “blueprint” for future academic and college success for their kids.
This is the third year for the program, which has served more than 140 families since 2008, said Amy Wade, assistant director of Early College Outreach at OSU.
This year, 75 families are expected to be served, Wade said.
Elementary school students and their families will attend five weekly sessions. Students take part in “College Camp” while their family members attend workshops. The workshops include the benefits of a college education, college prep curriculum, the application process, financial aid and even adult education, according to the program’s website.
“College Camp” is hosted by OSU student facilitators who lead students through activities that mirror what their family members experience in the workshops, but in an age-appropriate version, Wade said. For example, if a guest speaker talked to adults about savings accounts, students would create “piggy” banks with facilitators, she said.
The program offers dinner before each workshop, as well as bus transportation and child care, according to a media release. Wade said she believes these are vital services.
“Many of the families we work with experience food insecurity and are transient,” Wade said.
She admitted that it is a challenge for her and the program to keep families motivated under such conditions.
“Sometimes it’s simply impossible to see beyond one’s present circumstances,” Wade said in an e-mail.
Overcoming barriers is something Danielle Orr has personal experience with. Orr, a third-year in criminology at OSU and a Columbus City Schools graduate, is in her second year as a student facilitator with the Blueprint:College Program. As one of the first in her family to graduate high school, Orr said she didn’t think college was realistic until her senior guidance counselor at Beechcroft High School helped her realize her goal.
“This is why the Blueprint:College Program is so important to me,” Orr said. “Kids should not feel discouraged about going to college due to not having someone to turn to when they have questions.”
As a result, Orr said she hopes to “provide my students the confidence to attend college.”
The Blueprint program is not only beneficial to participating families. Wade said OSU student facilitators benefit from the partnership, as well.
They build skills in classroom management, successfully entering communities, interacting with diverse populations and being positive role models, Wade said.
She said the most important thing, however, is that students “often become very passionate about the social justice issue of access to education in the process. They become lifelong advocates for educational access.”
Jaylen Boyd said he doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up. As a kindergartener at South Mifflin STEM, he has some time to decide, but that hasn’t stopped his mom, Nicole Boyd, from getting involved with the Blueprint:College Program.
The mantra for the Kick-Off Dinner seemed to be, “It’s never too early to start planning for college.” The Boyds’ participation is proof of that.
