Enriched students prepped for success
Program offers career path, inspires ambition
In a few years some young people figure to be excelling.
Carmesha Collins may be saving lives, Reginald Lovett hopes to be chasing storms, Jacquenette McGhee plans on locking up criminals, and Nicholas Wilson wants to be solving the world’s problems mathematically.
But for now, the four are part of a class of 75 sophomores taking part in the Memphis Ambassadors Program, a year-round enrichment program for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors who live in Memphis.
The program, which has 440 students, promotes education, health, civic and social responsibilities, and employability skills.
“Our goal is to get them to try to aim high and prepare,” said James Nelson, special assistant to Mayor A C Wharton in the Office of Youth Services.
Some of the sophomores are already thinking big.
“Main reason I wanted join the Memphis Ambassadors Program is to be one with my community rather than living in Memphis but not knowing about it ,” said Nicholas, a student at the City University School of Liberal Arts who plans to earn doctorates in philosophy and mathematics. “They say the community can give back to one another. One of my personal goals is to unite all of Memphis together under the thought that we can all accept each other.”
Last week, during their first week as ambassadors, the sophomores got to know each other and themselves.
“It’s fun so far,” said Reginald, studying at the Soulsville Charter School and a future meteorologist.
They’re looking forward to gaining the social and leadership skills, and becoming ambassadors.
“And to becoming a role model so instead of always looking up to somebody, you’ll have somebody looking up to you,” said Jacquenette, who wants to be a criminal prosecutor and attends White Station High School.
Community service will also help with college.
“It’s all in a nutshell. You get everything in one with this program,” said Carmesha, a Central student who wants to major in biology and is undecided on what she’d like to do in the medical field.
This summer the students will take part in a mini-leadership camp and receive ACT prep. During the school year they’ll spend four days after school each week involved in ambassador projects.
“We do one - on- one road maps, talk about goals and objects. Each month we sit down to see what they’ve accomplished,” Nelson said.
“Our goal is to get them into a career path whether it’s going to college, the military, a trade or directly into the workforce.”
In 2010 the ambassador program replaced the city’s summer youth jobs program. It had an initial budget of $1.9 million, which has been cut to $1.2 million.
To participate, students must live within the city of Memphis. Participants applied online in February. In April a computer randomly selected them based on Memphis City Council districts. The final selection was based on an interview.
The students will receive a quarterly stipend of $500, which is based on participation and attendance.
Failure to participate can result in a reduction in that stipend or removal from the program, Nelson said.
Also, a parent must commit to 10 hours of community service work.
“It’s important that the parents understand how serious it is for students to excel at this point,” Nelson said. “The next three years or the next year will go by very fast and they need to be involved in the process. Most of our parents, they get it. They understand.”