Billboards

This morning as I came into work I pulled up the local and national news websites and I found an article that I found disturbing.  The article was about a billboard message in some U.S. town that says “Islam Rising: The Documentary…Be Warned.”  You can also visit the website http://www.islamrising.com/Home.html.  In short it’s about the right Christian groups making allegations of the evil doings of the right Islamic groups.  To me any spread of hatred and fear is evil which in a sense what these radical Christians are doing in bashing another religion more than studying and mediating on the real meaning of their own.  Although I am not a super religious person I am super faithful.  Never has my faith taught me that hating any person based on any factor is what I was called to do.  In fact if anything my faith has taught me that hate is NOT the way to live life peacefully.

This week I recruited on behalf of the ACE Program at a small charter school that serves the Muslim population in the Phoenix area.  Everyone one at this school, the students, teachers, parents, administrators were in every way as American as the rest us.  No more or less kind, or generous, or good-spirited as any wholesome Christian American.  In a nut shell they made me feel at home while presenting in their school on the ACE Program at SMCC.  I might add I know I had everyone’s attention down to the youngest student, you could hear a pin drop while I was speaking.  Never have I had such a feeling of respect from any high school across Phoenix, Tempe, or Mesa.  In reality most of the time in public schools I have to battle the students to stop whispering to their bff’s across the row and listen to what I have to say.  In these public schools I have even been jeered, asked ridiculous questions, and insulted when presenting on a scholarship opportunity that is intended for their benefit.  I don’t want to assume, but I am willing to bet that most of these students are either a form of Christian or agnostic.  I may be wrong, but growing up Christian the first thing I learned was respect, why then do some of these students treat me as though I am less than they are for presenting on a program that is for their benefit?

I find this anti-Islamic sentiment sickening because it is based on fear, hatred, and lies.  The views of a few right winged Christians attacking the views of a few right winged Muslims affect the rest of us in the middle.  I don’t care how loud you yell, I refuse to believe that two religions based on the same fundamental principles of peace, harmony, and love are out to destroy the other because one form of love is better than the other.  It's a stupid notion and yet that is what I see by billboards like this one.  The students I serve and the people I work for who are Muslim are as "normal" as Christians; contrary to belief they weren’t taught how to destroy any more than Christians were.  That is until they go to boot camp…or religion camp.

Personal Post - But I'm a cheerleader

I forget sometimes that not everyone is like me, I know that sounds obvious but I guess what I mean to say is that not everyone is exposed to everything society has in store.  That is why college is so fun, because you see the variety of life.  Let’s go back a few years when I worked at my previous job.  I met a student who was bright, hardworking, personable, good-spirited, and outgoing.  Immediately I knew this student was bound for success, he was a great high school student undaunted by college life, not a follower, always lead his group of friends.  There was no doubt this young man was going to college and graduating with honors probably.  After getting to know one-another and talking about sports he discovered that I played softball.  

           

            Fast forward a few years, he has become somewhat of a mentee to me, I wrote his letters of recommendation for ASU, guided him through the college process, and helped him find a job with a local bank, etc; he is a constant acquaintance, and a Facebook friend (the inner most ring of trust I’m sure).  Recently he sent me a Facebook message asking if he could come out and watch my team play softball because he is interested in playing, so immediately I said yes!  We are always looking for new players to join the league.  Although he had never played baseball or softball before, he was athletically inclined. So this past weekend he came out with the girl he’s dating to watch us play and the most interesting thing happened.  Side note:  The league I play for is called Cactus Cities League; if you look it up online you’ll find that it is “the premier slow pitch softball league for the GLBTQ community.”  Well I never thought to disclaimer to my friend that it was a gay league, I guess I just assumed he knew and had no problem with it…which I thought was cool, the community could use all the allies it can get.  I have to admit, watching gay softball, although it’s not what you would imagine, you eventually get the sense that many of these burley guys are as much the players as they are the cheerleaders.  Meaning, the cheers are a little swishy and it doesn’t take long for spectators to catch on, but the cheers are hilarious and entertaining!!!  After watching our team play a doubleheader, he comes up to me and asked me with an anxious voice, “are some of the players gay?”  To which I responded without hesitation, “of course, the whole team is…and most of the league.”  I looked at him like “duh”, and he looked at me as though he just realized he was a cat in the middle of a dog park.  With a nervous voice he said “but you guys play softball?”  To which his girlfriend said laughing “But I’m a Cheerleader.”  A reference to the movie that came out in 1999 that portrayed a lesbian who didn’t know she was a lesbian because she enjoyed so much being a cheerleader.  As if cheerleaders couldn’t be lesbians or athletes couldn’t be gay.  We laughed about it, although it may have been through nervousness, I went on to explain that not all the players were gay.  Furthermore, he had nothing to fear, it was a safe place for everyone to just come out and play for the love of the sport regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

            Suffice it to say that he was okay with it all, he just had no clue anything like this existed.  Although he admitted that he never thought gays played sports, it changed his perception for the better of what the gay community is.  He plans to play with our team come the spring and no doubt he will learn that although we may be different, essentially we are more similar.  I admire his willingness to open his mind and change preconceived notion he never even thought he had.  It did help that his girlfriend is and always has been an ally for the GLBTQ community.  This goes to show that just when we think everyone is on the same page in society this is far from the case.  The best we can do is educated and break down the stereotypes that keep us apart to show that there is nothing to fear.  I am happy that we gained one more ally on and off the field.

It should be K-College

In present day America everyone has fair access to higher education but not all the members in society understand how to survive the system.  I do not propose to change the system of higher education, merely change the way in which we teach our younger generations about what to expect in the higher education system.  We must start first with giving them explicit expectations and measurable attainable accomplishments.  In other words, it is the expectation in American society for all the members to attend primary school in order to be successful in secondary school, and the expectation of attending secondary school to be successful in college, and the purpose of attending college is to complete at minimum a four-year college degree.  This expectation should be regardless of first or second generation, ethnicity, social class, funding, etc.  If America can produce a first class military at any expense, we should be even more disposed at producing first class thinkers to compete in a growing global economy.

Specifically education should not be split between K-12, college, and university.  The American educational system should be K-college (Kindergarten through College/University).  Over the past few years Maricopa Community Colleges has made strides in creating a transfer process from the colleges to the university that is easy, accessible to all, and sets the students up for success at the university.  The community college systems and State Universities created an open dialog, collaborated in setting standards, and literally created a course maps that the students can use to navigate the classes required by both systems to achieve a baccalaureate.  These two systems understand that they each supplement the other in terms of enrollment and graduation rates.  So far the system called AZ Transfers has helped many community college students reach a university and attain a college degree.

Now is the time for the K-12 system to create a similar system, we can no longer afford to treat each educational levels in silos.  In my professional experience the K-12 system has been very resilient in opening their doors to higher education. 

Why High School sucks

As if it wasn't difficult enough having to deal with hitting puberty, changing hormones, growth spurts, awkward and uncomfortable physiological and psychological changes all coalescing like never before while at the same time dealing with cool clothes, bullies, mean girls, social status, clicks, gangs, alcohol, drugs, sex, parties, and Facebook updates.  Then having to navigate life while doing homework, studying, playing ball, cheerleading, dealing with irate teachers, irritable administrators, untrusting parents, and a society that just doesn’t understand, I am amazed students have anything to look forward to other than graduation day or dropping out to get away from the convoluted life of high school.    

Surprisingly after graduation the majority of students I come across haven’t even dabbled in the idea of what college is, why it is so important, where a college is, or what is required to get there.  To put the cherry on top, parents blame them, teachers blame them, and society blames them for not knowing better.  So whose fault is it anyway?  Please tell me why we blame these young students for not knowing the importance of college?  Especially when many have been lead to believe college is not for them.  And to top the cherry with a cherry, this past weekend I called an inner city Phoenix High School to ask for time to recruit students for college and the response was, “sorry they just don’t have the time.”  They don’t have the time?…Really?…high school students are too busy to make time for college?  Well I guess that answers that.

And again, who’s fault is it?

Snowball...

This past weekend we scheduled individual meetings with all 300 ACE students and their parents to discuss the end of the semester and see what grades they are currently earning.  Additionally we gauge any problems that the students may be facing, whether it is time management, personal life, academic, etc.  The students meet once a week for fourteen Saturdays for three hours.  In one particular instance we came across a female Hispanic student who is in danger of failing because she has missed several assignments and four class periods.  The explanation the student and her mother gave us was that she had to help her mom at work.  Now, just to understand the program, ACE is a scholarship based program, it pays for the tuition at South Mountain Community College; ultimately the program is investing real money in these students. If the students fail, not only does the grade affect their GPA and transcripts, but the program essentially loses the money it paid for in the tuition.  It’s interesting to note that all policies created for one purpose inevitable effect multiple areas of society. 

This student’s father was deported several months ago; having been pulled over for a minor traffic violation when the officers discovered he had no license and indeed no immigration documentation proving rightful citizenship.  ICE was called and within days the father found himself back in Mexico leaving behind his wife and three daughters who themselves are legal citizens.  After several months of hardship and no steady income, this student’s mother and the rest of her family were forced to abandon their house as it went into foreclosure.  Now the mother cleans houses as many days as possible to afford a small two-bedroom apartment, to pay bills, and put food on the table.  This student is the eldest child and at seventeen is now required to assist in the upbringing of her younger sisters, as well as help her mother clean houses during the week, including Saturdays, attend high school, and strive to achieve a higher education with the ACE Program.

It saddens me to know that this straight “A” student with a bright future has been relegated to working menial labor, when she is capable of becoming something so much more.  Since working with the ACE Program I understand the positive impact it has on students who normally would not attend college.  I have a hard time understanding how immigration policy enacted to defend our borders against terrorist ends in limiting the future of a family’s desire to educate their young.  The father owned their home, paid their property taxes, earned an honest comfortable living and above all believed in educating his daughters to the highest level possible.  Yet now, they have no home, are not paying property taxes, are not purchasing the goods and services they once used to, and their future is much bleaker today as a result of failed policy.  Where once the possibility existed that these students would achieve a higher education, a higher wage, and contribute to society, have we now done the exact opposite?  What if these students lose their will to continue on, drop out of high school, become pregnant and consequently burden the society?  Is this what this type of immigration reform had in mind???

First Generation College Student

The majority of the students I work with are considered first generation college students because their parents have not completed a college degree.  Sounds simple enough however, what I find I have in common with the students is that many of the pitfalls some make, are the same ones I made when I first started at ASU, and continue to make.  I try to impart as much wisdom as possible, but as the saying goes, "those who give the best advice seldom keep it for themselves." 

So what is it about 1st generations?  Well to start off, most of us learned too late what college was really all about, in fact I was seventeen the first time I heard about ASU or Phoenix College (PC).  The sole driving satisfaction my mother expressed to me about my life is that I avoid, drugs, gangs, tattoos, and I manage to graduate high school.  Other than that I had her blessing to do with my life what I wanted to do.  College only became an option because my sister asked me what I planned on doing after I graduated from high school.  Although PC was a mere two miles from my house, I had never stepped foot onto the campus until my first day of school in August.  The first time I heard of a syllabus, a transcript, the different levels of degrees, actually having to study for class, and reading before class began at PC.  I skated through high school, knowing nothing other than my life at Alhambra High School.  I find the students I work with in much the same boat.  This last week while I was recruiting at prominent high school in South Phoenix for the ACE Program I asked how many students knew where their nearest community college was, one student answered, University of Phoenix is around the corner from my house.  Aghast that they believed U of P was a community college, I realized they had absolutely no idea what a community college was.  Astounded for second, yet I travel back in time to when I was an early college student and realize, I had no idea either.  I would like to make the clarification that the population of students I work with are not "troubled" students, or in bad company.  They are genuine, hard working high school students, but like me completely ignorant to life outside of high school.

First lets explore briefly my nephew who would be a second generation student.  He is seven years old and starts sentences with "Mom, when I go to college...", he has been to multiple college events, has a tax sheltered college fund, and is learning the words to the ASU fight song.  There is no doubt in my mind that my sister (his mother) will attend his first day of college, as she attended his first day at kindergarten.  Although we can't guarantee that when the times comes he'll want to go to college, the expectation and knowledge of college life will be present in his life.

In a contrast, I remember college being superfluous because I had no idea how important it was, nor even what I was doing there, I merely kept my mouth shut and copied what other students did to register for class, speak to teachers, even to complete assignments.  Or I would ask my sister "what do I do now?"  Other times I remember feeling too embarrassed to ask how, dumb at times, and completely scared that I didn't look like a real college students.  I felt as though I was doing it wrong, and I never really believed I could or would be successful.  I find it completely horrid that I did not learn at a young age what college was or how immensely important it is.  Was it my parents fault, was it my teachers, my my high schools, community colleges?  We can play the blame game all day but does it matter, because in the end the ones who carry the ultimate burden are the students.  I see that same fear in many of the students in the program now, which is why I have worked hard to connect with them and push them to achieve what I myself still have a hard time achieving.  As if one at-risk factor wasn't enough, many of use have others to contend with.

I am an ACE student...well not really.

ACE at the Maricopa Community Colleges stands for Achieving a College Education, it was started in 1988 and is designed to work with high school students "at-risk" of not continuing to pursue a higher education.  The students with these factors traditionally do not attend a higher education institution and fail to make the bridge between high school and college to obtain a four-year degree from an accredited institution like ASU.  There are many at risk factors but typically these are students who are; first-generation college bound, have physical or learning disabilities, from single-parent homes, live at or below the poverty line, work more than 10 hours a week to contribute to the family income, are under-represented minorities in higher education, and/or have dependents that they care for.

The program is structured to introduce college life to these high school students to curve the uncertainty that is associated when students have little experience on how to maneuver a college campus.  Under the programs supervision, students take courses on a community college campus that count as their core requisite classes as they complete their junior and senior year in high school.  They take English 101, 102, humanities courses, critical reading, etc.  All the while they take workshops on how to "speak" college 101, IE: transcripts, syllabus, SAT/ACTs, course maps, bachelors degree, masters, PhD.,etc. are all terms they do not understand and have little exposure to at home.  Although the argument can be made that this ignorance does not determines a persons success in college, the evidence behind the statistics of 1st generation college completion rates versus 2nd generation college completion rates are what the program was founded on.

After having worked for the program for five years and being a first generation student myself I find that although many times we (1st generationers) use these factors as a crutch, in reality it is and was very daunting to overcome.  I can fully associated with the students fear of what college life was like for me the first time I stepped onto the ASU campus.  Which may be why it has taken me 8 years to complete a four year degree, and why till this day I still struggle to believe that I can accomplish a bachelor's degree.  Although I was not an ACE student, I am a student  that shares many of the at-risk factors and through this blog I wish to explore why is has taken me so long to complete this venture.  I hope to further understand and pass along the knowledge I uncover to assist the students I serve to "get over" my at-risk factors and finally achieve a higher education.