College access for all!
Last year I was introduced to Alexandra Bernadotte through a TEDTalk and shortly after I had the pleasure of interviewing with her. She shared her story of her struggles at Dartmouth and her goal to provide "access to college" to students in underserved communities because too often we hear "well, college isn't for everyone."
If you speak from a place of power, that's easy to believe...If you are powerless, that places you farther away from equity.
I faced the same challenge with my stepdaughter, a 3.9 AP student, who skipped MS Math and went right into HS credits, who scored 4's on state tests (anxiety is real), got accepted into the University of Alabama (#RollTide), earned a scholarship and landed on academic probation in her sophomore year. I was torn between my pedagogical background and my maternal instinct about what our next steps should be and as a first-gen, African-American college graduate, I was devastated. I thought I did everything right: attended every parent-teacher conference, took her to before and after school programming, employed a coach during high school to help her navigate college applications, paid for SAT practice courses - yes, I was that anomaly.
But there came a point when I had to put pride aside, listen to that inner voice that said "your child is a creative and she isn't ready for this YET..."
I believe it's safe to pause here to let that distinction set in: while I realized college may not be for her NOW, I never negated the fact, nor did she, that college is an important equalizer in this struggle to live "the American Dream." Then we sprang into action to determine a contingency plan.
Her father, a career soldier and decorated veteran, immediately opted for the military, to which we both frowned, especially given our volatile national climate. I started searching for the "traditional fit" that many of our families turned to for decades, post-Civil Rights era - Civil Service Careers. Then I remembered a program called YearUp! I'd become familiar with as the Director of a k-12 program and mentor for a few of their rising interns. I shifted my role from parent to administrator and counseled my child as I have the many students I've worked with in my 20 yr. career in education.
Nine months later, ironically, she has completed a web development course, become a Community Liaison for YearUp of Greater Atlanta and landed her first internship as a Client Specialist for Cox Automotive. Her vocabulary has expanded, she applies analytical skills to problems she faces, she realizes the power of networking and she is on her way to a career in tech neither of us imagined a few years ago.
Lessons Learned:
Every person is an individual - no matter how much you as a parent pour into your child, it is ultimately their decision how they will live their lives.
Lead by example - your children, your students are watching you when you least expect it. Plant fruitful seeds by your example and watch them grow.
Access = Opportunities - the more we can create access to brighter futures, through college, through workforce development, and other programming, the brighter our future as a nation will be.
Let's put a moratorium on the statement "College isn't for everyone," and let's start to discuss providing "Access for everyone!"