I'm almost giddy. We launched the second year of our Power of Half Schools initiative today, at Bear Creek Middle School in Fairburn, south of Atlanta. There, we work with students who are growing up on the other side of the opportunity divide, usually without a dad present, often in poverty. Our goal: To help them recognize that they have the power to become givers and they have resources the world needs them to give.
Joan worked hard this summer to professionalize our curriculum, and we were eager to roll it out. So, this year, we expanded our program to include both 7th and 8th graders, about 700 total kids.
Today's assemblies featured our family's story and the point that Hannah realized she had the power to make change in the world. A 14-year old girl recognized that she could take on world-changing (and family-changing) action, and we wanted to make sure the Bear Creek students saw that they too had power. No house sale necessary, of course.
Counselor Ronnie Andrews led today's events. "We don't ask you to do anything drastic," he urged the students. "We ask you to take one small step, get an education, come to school every day."
Radio talk show host and former Atlanta City Council Member Derrick Bozeman pushed the students to defy stereotypes. "They say half of you won't graduate. They say one in four of you will be part of the penal system. They say most of you can't read," he said. "But we say you can do anything you want to do. Life is nothing but a series of choices." And he added, "Coming from broken homes, you can pick up the pieces if you choose to."
The program closed with Dr. Eddie Morris, our co-founder of the schools initiative, reminding students that they "were born with purpose," a reason to be on this planet. "Get on your feet," he prodded, "and repeat after me. I. Was. Born. With. Purpose."
The results last year astounded us: Grades went up, discipline referrals went down, students began working harder and caring more about each other. They began to recognize that they had the power to improve their lives.
So excited about what they can achieve this year.
+04.21.2011 - A word from the students at ...
+02.10.2010 - How should we respond?
+02.11.2010 - I love this article
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