So as I said, she mailed them, I got the answers back and Kennedy King Colleges said yes. They told me to come in for the placement. I received a scholarship & grant. Even after that, I did nothing to act upon it. It wasn’t until she came back to the store and asked me what response that I get, that I acted upon it.
Keep in mind, I didn’t know this woman. She had come in the store maybe two times before she approached me. That’s why I have that same approach when I talk to the parents. It’s like I see something in you, because she saw something in me. And she stuck with me until I made that next step. Then she went her on way. Now I have a bachelor degree, two master degrees and my doctorate, in addition to being an ordained minister. So give the glory to God.
Black Truth News: What procedure does the parents has to go through to get their child involved in your program? Or can the children come in and register on their own? What can the people do to participate?
Dr. Diane Simpson: We have a few schools that have picked up the program, and normally they sign up about ten children from the school, we get their parents to participate, because what we want the parents to know is that they are a part of this also; so we have the parents to meet with us, at least once a month, for what we like to call our initial assessment period. So once that period is over, we proceed to sign up ten children and their parents to the program.
Black Truth News: Is this available through all Chicago Public Schools?
Dr. Diane Simpson: Right now since we’ve just starting out, we can’t take on all the public schools just yet. We have to get more mentors, train them and help them become master mentors. So right now, were trying to put five mentors in each school to start the program. Then it’s the job of the school to identify community people, or certain parents, or someone that we feel that we can continue to develop to be a mentor. We also train the participating parents about the mentorship, so even if they don’t want to be a mentor, at least they know the same stuff. That way they are able to keep things going on, and continue to teach their children in those specific areas. That’s kind of dilemma for us right now, the process of locating and training more mentors.
Black Truth News: What is the Ultimate goal for YFPC? And what would you personally like see accomplished by the end of your tenure?
Dr. Diane Simpson: Good question. When we see that the community has taken hold of our children with the development process, and the kids become excited about learning. Also we want to be able to go to different stores and other environments and then work together, because students did that in my classrooms when I was teaching; they would go to the principal and propose a project that they wanted to work on around the school. We taught them how to use their action; action for change, they saw a need for change, they went to the source that would be able to help them and then they started to implement the change. Thus we have a youth for positive change, their going out, along with their parents, and their making that change. They are requiring the community to assist them, in order to better their communities, and better themselves.
This Article First Appeared in The Black Truth News Vol. 3 Issue 12 Dec. 18, 2012