[WardFive] My Testimony - Dunbar High School - Thank You Ms. Purham & Mr. Barnes

My Testimony (sorry it is so long) - Thank you Ms. Purham and Mr. Barnes

Yesterday I have the honor to attend the Back to S.T.E.M. event at Paul Lawrence Dunbar Senior High School. As always it was an amazing event seeing all of the industry/community partners engaging with the students and their parents.

As an industry partner I expected to engage some families and take a few questions. Instead, I was approached by students and parents and greeted with high fives, hugs and hand shakes. Each of them talked about their summer and about our partnership/program over the last two years. Then they wanted to talk about what we would be doing this year. While each experience was amazing, two in particular truly touched me

The first was when three of the young men approached me. They all had facial hair, deeper voices and a little more height and weight on them (it was shocking because I remembered them when they started). They told me about their summer and then asked me I was doing my program this year. I said yes and then told them that our program with Morehouse College was also moving to Dunbar. They all said they could't wait for both.

The second was a 10 - 15 minute conversation with a rising junior. We talked about some of the mistakes she made this summer and the important lessons she learned from it. We then transitioned to how important her 11th grade year is and her top two choices Spelman College or Howard University (Daria Valentine and Conrad Woody I'm going to reach out to you for help). We talked about what she needs to do and help she may need.

I then tried to leave and encountered another one or two dozen students and some parents. We talked of their excitement about the school year and their work at #Dunbar. It touched me because a few students told me I was a cool old dude (made me think of some comments Tony Lewis made a few weeks ago). I told them I wasn't old as they think and they laughed and said late 30's might as well be 40.

Last night I planned on being there about 30 - 45 minutes and spent more than hour. I've told folks before that I enjoy my job and last night I was reminded why I do what I do. I may not make the most money or get the most recognition, but what I experienced last night is priceless. Even better it shows that our students are getting it.

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Eric J. Jones, MSF
ejjones.threed@gmail.com


"I for one believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they'll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action."

                                                                            El Haj Malik El Shabazz

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