YEP’s are gearing up for their 8th Annual Spring Break College Tour. This year 16 YEP’s hope to be joining other area youth from the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) Club Experience, to visit multiple southern Historically Black Colleges. These high school teens need $600/teen ($9600 total) to cover travel, lodging, and food. YEP’s have already raised dollars by hosting a Soul Food Fundraiser and they will be collecting cans and bottles (every 10 cents counts!) throughout Feb and March.
But we also need support from neighbors like you! We are looking for sponsorship’s to cover 10 more YEP’s. Would you sponsor a YEP to go on this life-changing spring break tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities?
Aaliyah - MCEC, Muskegon High School.
The tour is important to me because I have to make a lot of decisions right now for my life. I don’t know what I want to do with my life yet. I’m not sure if I want to go straight to college, or get a job first and see where that job takes me first. The tour is a great opportunity to travel, and expand my horizons.
Research shows that regardless of gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, youth who take education trips and college tours have 59% better grades, 95% high graduation rates from high school, 63% higher college graduation rates and greater income 12% higher annually.
College tours have successfully put the YEP’s in colleges all across the country. Former YEP’s are studying at Ferris State, Western, MSU, Albion, Baker, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, Kendall School of the Arts, Grand Valley State University, and Yale. Several YEP’s attend our very own Muskegon Community College. And get this: 50% of YEP’s who graduated in 2019 went directly to college after graduating. YEP works! And part of what makes it work is getting YEP’s on college campuses.
The YEP’s raised more than $1200 through the Soul Food Dinner - pics by Bruce Hood.
Algemar - Muskegon High School.
It’s important to know what different curriculum and activities colleges offer. I want to be a marine biologist, and the tour will help me see what some colleges have to offer in that area.
We are really excited to be working with the HBCU Club Experience for the first time this year. Here’s a little break down from Tarra S. Carson (MA, M.Ed), the HBCU CLUB Experience, founder:
“Our mission for The HBCU Club Experience is to empower while encouraging scholar’s grade 7th-12th high school and college students for college preparation, advising, and collaboration with community resources to their parents and/or guardians in West Michigan.
The HBCU Club Experience will challenge young scholars to become active positive role models, decision-makers, and assist in their transition to become responsible young adults. The HBCU Club Experience will focus on the foundation of Historical Black Colleges and Universities.
The annual tour provides an opportunity for middle school, high school, and college students to be exposed to Historically Black Colleges & Universities throughout the country with the hopes of piquing your interest for future enrollment”
The YEP’s will join the 1st Annual HBCU College Tour in 2020.
Sunday, April 5, 2020 - Saturday, April 11, 2020.
Miracle - Muskegon High School.
Tours are important for those of us who are indecisive and don’t know what we are doing yet. It shows us the opportunities we can get involved in. Everyone tells you you should go to college, but if you don’t know anything about it if you don’t see it or aren’t in that environment, you won’t appreciate it as much.
E’niei’ion - Muskegon High School.
I want to learn different things and meet different people. When you get close to other people and interact with other people, you see you can go further than you thought you could go. When going on a tour to see and experience different colleges, you might see the college you visit is a good vibe for you. When you go to college it's all about you and no one else. It’s about your decision. It's about how you are going to perceive yourself and lead yourself on to success.
Samantha - Muskegon High School.
The college tour shows you the different doors and paths you can choose, depending on what your life is like.. There are options for people who like me who are parents.I can still go to college: there are options available to me. This tour is important because I am a mother.
During the 6 day tour, youth will visit the following HBCUs:
LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, TN.
Grambling State University, Grambling, LA.
Southern A & M University in Baton Rouge, LA.
Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS.
Jackson State University, Jackson, MS.
Clark-Atlanta University and Morehouse College.
Also, youth will have the opportunity to participate in the following historical attractions:
The Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN.
Eddie Robinson Museum in Grambling, LA.
Medgar Evers Historical Home and Dancing Dolls Dance Factory in Jackson, MS.
Dr. King Center.
Atlanta Falcons Stadium.
Centennial Park, and other surprise activities during the tour.
Sponsor a YEP today to go on this life-changing tour of Historically Black
Colleges and Universities!
Lakaylah - Muskegon High School.
It’s a different kind of opportunity to go on a tour of HBCU’s. Because I am African American, it will open new doors for me. Other college tours were not too interesting, because they didn’t appeal directly to me. I’m excited about the cities we’re going to, especially Atlanta. I have always wanted to travel there.
Mike - Muskegon High School.
It's important to see new places in life, to go to places and see things you have never seen before. To go to universities and experience that atmosphere. I’m eventually going to go to university, so it's important for me to get a feel for the place I am going to end up.
Jayjuan - MCEC, Muskegon High School.
The tour is important because not only does it show you more opportunities outside of your own city, but you get to experience the cities around the colleges. I want to be a business owner and movie director, so I want to know more and more about the different environments that the colleges offer, and see if it would be good for me or not. I’m just excited to go to new places.
Marcel - Success Online School.
The college tour is important for kids who already think they don’t want to go to college, or that college isn’t for them. It helps them look again at what they want to do in life and opens their horizons. And to be honest…. Road Trip, man! I have never been down south and I just want to travel.
Nyasia - Muskegon High School.
College tours are important because you get to see how it actually is. You get to see first-hand the opportunities and activities they have. You get to see more than what’s here in Muskegon. You get to see broader opportunities for learning and experiences. I'm excited to see colleges out of state, like in Atlanta.