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WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Our 32nd Year • Over 25,000 Weekly Readers ISSUE NO. 18 • May 2, 2024 • RutherfordWeekly.com • 828-248-1408
25 students have life altering experiences on LEAP tour By Jean Gordon.
Twenty-four high school and middle While touring the colleges, the group has school students from Rutherford County and an opportunity to ask questions, become one from Cleveland County visited college educated about the schools from tour guides. campuses during a Spring Break tour across “The majority of colleges that we visit are the southeast sponsored by LEAP — Leaders historically black colleges and universities,” & Entrepreneurs for the Advancement & Kisha said. Promotion of Youth—a nonprofit begun in The historic black colleges were chosen to 2020 in Forest City. educate participants about the schools and to Kisha McDowell, chairman and chief expose them to these particular colleges for executive officer of LEAP, and board member references and for them to experience cultural Jennifer Laney chaperoned the week long trip awareness at an elevated and professional as students visited six colleges across the level. Carolinas and Florida including Florida A&M “Truly, the college tours are a great University, Bethune-Cookman University, opportunity for students in middle and high South Carolina school, preferably State University, WH rising ninth graders WHAT STU WHAT TUDE DENT DE NTS NT S SA SAID ID ABO BOUT UT THE TRI RIP: P: P: Claflin University, through seniors. Winston Salem, and “We are thankful “My favorite college was Livingstone. My favoritte Livingstone College. place that we traveled to on the trip was Daytona Beacch to those that have d entrusted us to care “Although we only because there was stores and food and the beach and had two chaperones, the good view.” -Jerrell Ferrell, R-S Middle for their children as we did not have well as those that “For me the tour is more than a fun trip that allows me any problems at all. to get away from home. It’s a trip that allows me (a persoon have trusted the The kids are very who has never been outside the walls of NC before thhe LEAP program and respectful and willing trips) to actually have a look at what’s available to me funded us financially to learn, and they and the plenty of opportunities that I have ahead of me.”” or supported our understand that the -Amaris McEntire, East Rutherford High fundraisers,” Kisha college tour is a said. “During the college tour we got to learn a lot abouut privilege,” said Kisha. Without the “For me and not only the repercussions in college but about all thhe financial support Jennifer and the limitations. The tour guides went in depth about whaat of the community, de individuals students, the college makes their college special and showed great prid and st grants, the $25,000 tour is an amazing in what they represented.” -Makayla McDowell, Easst opportunity to Rutherford High trip would not be connect with youth, “Our experience with the college tour was mainlly possible. to expose them to about our education and seeing where we want to goo, Among grants a potential future but also the history behind the college and learning for the ng g awarded opportunity and to the hardships they went through and seeing how faar trip came ar 2024 show them things they went in life and the sacrifices they made so thaat at from the Carolina they’ve never seen we can be where we are today. -J’ymus Johnson, Easst Foothills Foundation, R th t er e foord d Hig gh outside of Rutherford Ru CoThinkk (Asheville) County,” Kisha said. and also funding “The opportunity to go on these trips is an from United Way of Rutherford County, Chickamazing time for them to hang out with their fil-A’s cookie fundraising program, New friends, to visit colleges to learn lots of new Vernon Church and The Source Outreach things and to determine what colleges they Center. may or may not consider as a part of their Money is already being raised for the 2025 future education,” she continued. college tour. In addition to visiting the college campuses, Anyone wanting to help with next year’s the group visited the Urban Air Park in tour can send checks to: LEAP 420 Old Wagy Tallahassee, Florida; planetariums, museums Road, Forest City, NC 28043. LEAP Cashapp: and other tourist destinations. LEAP4Youthrc or Paypal email: leap4girlsfc@ “We work very hard to ensure that the kids gmail.com. are not completely bored or have too much LEAP is a nonprofit leadership and life time on their hands so we maintain activities development program for youth ages 9-17 that throughout the whole day, typically leaving provides access to academic achievement, them with a couple of hours to enjoy the pool leadership, life enrichment skills, community or go to the mall,” McDowell said. involvement business acumen and ownership.
STUDENTS ON COLLEGE TOUR WERE: Chase Middle: Lyric Harrison ICC: Ta’ossiona Petty (receiving high Crest: Tyler Briscoe school diploma) East Rutherford: Amaris McEntire, Lake Lure Classical Academy: Dietra Smith, J’Myus Johnson, Layla Ashawn Camp, Dazarius Watkins, Wilkins, Makayla McDowell, Samya London Camp Lowrance, Zilah Dewberry R-S Middle: Jerrell Freeman, Jerrien East Middle: Aniyah McDowell, Freeman Braelin Johnson, Chiama Hawkins, Thomas Jefferson Classical D’Azia Jackson, Grace McMullens, Academy: Brooklyn Barner, Kaylen Josiah McDowell, Maggie Myers Laney, Makyla Hunt
Students visiting Claflin University.
On the football field of SCSU.
Students at SCSU. Kisha McDowell, director of LEAP, is shown seated, right, with a cast. She broke a few fingers on the trip.
Students visiting Livingstone College.
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