Students who joined us on this adventure are working in part-time positions with important local community institutions, organizations and agencies including: Tuskegee University Archives, Tuskegee-Macon County Public Library, Divine Inspiration Ministries, Macon County Commission, Macon County Cooperative Extension, and Tuskegee Youth Safe Haven. Each of these groups makes significant contributions to the life and work of Macon County, and each have employees who are expert mentors to young people. For most students, these jobs are their first part-time jobs, so navigating the world of work is an adventure in itself. All of us remember our first part-time jobs, and we know these experiences taught us something important about life and work.

Young people also need to know where they are from, and Macon County has a rich history that ought to be known.  We’ve had our students read the Encyclopedia of Alabama’s article on Macon County, and we’ve talked through some interesting facts.  So tonight we played Jeopardy, with categories that included Tuskegee University and the cities of Tuskegee and Notasulga.  Much of what we talk about is presented in the impressive Tuskegee Human & Civil Rights Multicultural Center, which does a great job of presenting the story of Macon County and the three cultures that have shaped it: Native Americans, European Americans, and African Americans.

In addition to local history, since many of our students will take the Alabama High School Graduation Exam in March, mentor Marian Royston helped us with some categories and questions that will be on the social science/history part of the exam. Most of these questions concern things everyone in the United States ought to know, ranging from Amendments to the U.S. Constitution to important turning points in history (Civil War, New Deal, World War II, etc.).  Raven even added in a category for popular culture, so Beyonce and a few other folk made it into the game as well.  Students are competitive, and we want them to bring their best to either the graduation exam or ACT.

Mr. Gohl visited the public library and spoke with Tuskegee University administrator Juanita Roberts, public library director Petre Bridges, librarian Betty Morgan, state ARC program manager Bonnie Durham and four students: Quincy Bentley, Lanequia Coooper, Xavier-Charles Duplessis, Justine Ray. Quincy, Lanequia, and Justine are part-time employees of the library, and Xavier-Charles works part-time at the Tuskegee University Archives.

Mr. Gohl gave students the background on ARC’s work and the reason he was visiting Alabama. During the conversation, he reflected on his own first part-time job, an usher in a movie theater, when he earned .75 per hour and all the stale popcorn he could eat. He gave some important advice regarding employment: Work hard and then work harder. Go above and beyond what is required. Nothing is more important than hard work, whether it be school or an after-school job.

At the luncheon at Auburn University,  Gohl was introduced by Community and Civic Engagement Minor Marian Royston and Notasulga High School student Alexis Allen.  His remarks centered on the “Appalachian Army,” those important individuals who wake up each day with the purpose of making their lives and communities better. Jim Byard, director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, thanked Gohl for his remarks and suggested that the ARC federal-state partnership is a good example of productive institutional politics in action.

Tonight was an experiential financial reality check for students, thanks to a program coordinated by Diana Simpson of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service.  Using eight different stations representing real life expenses and one station for a part-time job if a student’s expenses exceeded income, Pleasant Grove Church was transformed into an experiential classroom where decisions had to be made and costs had to measured.

Ms. Simpson asked students to complete an “Envision Your Life” worksheet, one where students had to pretend they were 25 years old and the primary support for their household.  They were asked to report their monthly salary, whether they would rent or own a home, type of car they’d like to drive, and other questions related to finances.

Then came the reality check.  Students were randomly assigned an adult identity, including a vocation or profession, monthly salary, marriage situation, and whether or not they had children.  As they entered “real life,” they were greeted by college students, one parent, and Pastor Clark, each of whom were assigned to stations representing Realville’s realty, utilities, insurance, daycare, grocery and clothing store, and car sales.  Students carried with them a checkbook register with their assigned take-home pay and had to decide among different choices at each station.

Students had to weigh the costs of renting vs. buying, types of clothes, which car to purchase, etc.  Some expenses require little choice, they learned, especially daycare, utilities, groceries, and insurance.  And if money ran tight, they could apply for a part-time job, but that meant working evenings delivering pizza or cooking Realville hamburgers, taking time away from family and sometime requiring additional childcare.  Students calculated expenses in their check register, and some were surprised at how quickly they were in the red.  Loans and credit cards were available, but students were not interested in acquiring debt for living expenses.  I tried to talk some students into a loan so they could drive a Hummer instead of a Corolla, but no one was willing to take on more debt for a bigger set of wheels.

During the activity debrief, Ms. Simpson led the group to think about real-life expenses they encountered, and then she talked about the value of saving money. She introduced us to the “rule of 72,” how to estimate an investment’s doubling time.  A few of our students currently have savings accounts, and many more are interested in obtaining one. We will follow up with students to help them set up a savings account at the bank of their choice.  Ms. Simpson also discussed the exorbitant interest rates of Payday Loan and Cash for Car Title operations, many of which are illegal in other states.  These businesses invite citizens to become hostage to high interest loans.

This reality check experience was important for all of us. Responsible adult living, we learned, is challenging, but it can be done. Check out the slide show below to view pictures from the activity.

Tonight we were pleased to have with us Cynthia Ellis, all the way from Belize.  Cynthia was in the USA to speak at Auburn University on her work with women and youth in the Caribbean, and we were pleased to have her speak to our group.

Ms. Ellis gave us an overview of Belize, which is a relatively small country (only 300,000 in population), bordered by Mexico and Guatemala.  Belize is home to many people groups, including indigenous Maya, Creole, Mestizo, Garifuna, and more.  The official language of the country is English, since Belize was a colony of England until 1981.  She talked about the ancient Maya ruins, parrots in her backyard, and the 174-mile-long barrier reef off the coast.

Despite a thriving tourism industry that focuses on the sea, tropical jungles, and mountains, many people in the country are poor, and many young people find themselves trapped in cycles of poverty.  Ms. Ellis has worked with many programs to help at-risk youth find opportunities for success, and she is the sponsor for the international Duke of Edinburgh Award Program in Belize. Through this program, young people create their own goals in community service, physical fitness, life skills, and adventurous journey.  It’s not about competition, since the focus is on self-development.  Mentors coach participants and help them work toward receipt of the prestigious award.  Her stories of youth who have broken the cycle of poverty were inspiring.

Ms. Ellis, who is of Garifuna descent, shared some about Garifuna history and culture.  According to most accounts, in 1635, two Spanish ships carrying African slaves shipwrecked near St. Vincent.  The slaves escaped, intermarried over time with the indigenous people, and developed a culture that is still present today.  Cynthia led us in a few Garifuna songs and even taught us a couple of dances!

Thank you, Cynthia, for introducing us to Belize and for reminding us that success is up to us!

In honor of the 2012 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Remembrance, several students in our program spent a morning working with other Macon County citizens making contributions to two important community projects that will have significant value.

Students raked and cleaned a site on Geneva Street that will one day become a transitional housing site for homeless individuals and families.  Rev. Rondey Thornton and Divine Inspiration Ministries is working to renovate, rehabilitate, and make useful this vacant set of apartments for veterans and others who need housing.  “We have to take our streets back one at a time,” says Rev. Thornton, and this project will turn a lifeless asset into a temporary home for those who need it.

Students also worked at the Tuskegee Ministerial Association’s food bank project site on Daly Street.  Tuskegee Public Housing has allowed the Tuskegee Ministerial Association to lease the building that formerly housed a daycare center.  Students painted one hallway and helped clean out old files (and we found a picture of students and teachers from the early 1970s!).  When completed, the food bank will be used to organize food distributions, and they will have adequate space to install shelving for recipients to “shop” for food. “A market or store experience restores dignity to people who in need, and we believe this project will make a significant contribution to our community,” says Rev. K. G. Jones of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.

Students, both college and high school, enjoyed the holiday break, but everyone seemed to be happy to get back into the swing of things.  We have an ambitious spring set of goals: including part-time employment at community organizations; passing graduation exams with flying colors; preparing for and taking the ACT; projects related to our reading of the novel Ollie Miss; and learning about the history and dreaming of the future of Macon County.

But tonight was devoted to playing the game of LIFE, a fun way to think through the costs and consequences of decisions.  The lessons are pretty straightforward: a job with a college education pays more than one without a degree; kids cost money; sometimes life takes unexpected turns and you have to learn to deal with it.

Students received their job assignments for the spring semester, and they’ll have the excellent opportunity to work and learn from mentors at the following locations: Tuskegee University Archives, Macon County-Tuskegee Public Library, Divine Inspiration Ministries, Tuskegee Youth Safe Haven, Macon County Extension, and the Macon County Commission. Nothing can take the place of a first part-time job, and we believe the experience will be invaluable and a critical element of each student’s future success.  Each of the organizations are dedicated to building a Macon County full of citizens work together for the public good.  Each employee and director will shape the lives of these eleventh graders in a meaningful way.

President Carter teaches Sunday School at the rural, Georgia church nearly every week.  Even at the age of 87, Carter continues to be active in the work of the Carter Center.  Later that afternoon, for example, he departed for Egypt to lead a delegation to witness the country’s parliamentary elections.

Students interested in the work of the Carter Center, including internships, can attend a session on February 7 at 2:00 p.m. in Student Center 2222.  Lauren Kent-Delaney, director of educational programs for the Carter Center, will lead the session.   Contact Dr. Mark Wilson at mwilson@auburn.edu for more information.

“You only have one chance to make a first impression.”  That was the motto for our work tonight, and students had the chance to make their best first impression on several potential part-time employers.  We were pleased to have the following individuals represent very important community-based organizations in Tuskegee:  Bettye Morgan, Tuskegee-Macon County Public Library; John Pulliam, Macon County  Extension; Cheryl Ferguson, Tuskegee University Archives; Guy Trammell, Tuskegee Youth Safe Haven; and Rev. Rondey Thornton, Divine Inspiration Ministries.  We set up interview stations in the sanctuary, and we even made a makeshift table out of stereo speakers in a room beside the kitchen.

Students showed up dressed for success, most with resumes and cover letters in hand.  Students will be offered a part-time job to begin work with one of the organizations in January. Our community organization partners are more than employers.  They are dedicated individuals who care about their work and want to use this opportunity to develop lifelong skills in young people. Each organization contributes to the wellbeing of people in Macon County in some important way, and the opportunity to gain work experience, earn money, and learn about the work of an organization is a combination that should pay back dividends to us all.

Congratulations to our Auburn University mentors who helped prepare our students to make excellent first impressions!  We all look forward to reflecting on first-time work experiences, learning about money management, and continuing our journey in the spring semester.

Raven Conwell, a 2011 College of Liberal Arts graduate in psychology with a minor in community and civic engagement (one of two first recipients!), is coordinating the Macon County Youth mentoring program, funded in part by a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission. She is currently a graduate student in clinical mental health and counseling education at Auburn University.

On this particular night, it was pretty chilly out but even in the cold weather our students brought in good energy. Everyone seemed excited to see one another and to get a chance to socialize.

During dinner our students and mentors enjoyed their time together getting to socialize and catch up on things going on in each other’s lives since they last talked.

After dinner, we moved to the sanctuary and formed our usual circle where I did “Good News, Bad News” to check in with the students. Most of the students were excited about Thanksgiving break and the time off from school.  Some students had to report to us their bad grades.

After “Good News, Bad News” we did some ACT prep, this week focusing on an  exercise related to the Reading section. We tried to make it as much like the real ACT as possible with complete silence and making the students spread out. We went over the answers, and I had some of the students explain how they derived their answers.

Then, it was time for speeches and the mentors were very excited to hear their student’s topic. A few students followed the assignment and came fully prepared for their speech while others, were not so prepared. Unfortunately, when their peers were giving their speech the students were not as respectful as they should have been.

At the end of the night, several of the mentors and myself spoke to the students about being respectful, coming prepared, and appreciating our time. We hope the students got the message, and we hope that after the break we will have a good final meeting with our students and mentors.

“This is a great opportunity to give our students hands-on experience with the actual ACT test, and we hope this will motivate them to register for the real exam,” says Hope Debose, school counselor at BTW High.  “Many times students are afraid to take the test, and a practice test is a great ice-breaker for the real thing.”  Shutonya Hooks, Notasulga High School Counselor, agreed. ”The practice test will give them an awareness of what to expect and will help them better prepare.”

The exam, coordinated by the Community and Civic Engagement Initiative in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University, was administered by the Sylvan Learning Center of Auburn. The event was funded in part by the Appalachian Regional Commission as part of a year-long youth development project with Auburn University.