2010 STAR Awards College Volunteer Group: K College Service Learning and Epsilon Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Working with Community Advocates for Parents and Students

Photo by Jill McLane Baker
Story by Michelle Ireton
Kalamazoo Gazette

Sometimes good things come in groups – like the college students working in the Community Advocates for Parents and Students Academic Enhancement Program.

The group is made up of about 28 students from the Kalamazoo College Civic Engagement Scholars and Western Michigan University’s Epsilon Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha.

The college students work with K-12 students in the Kalamazoo Public Schools. They work individually and in groups with the students to help prepare them for college.

In recognition of their efforts, the group earned a STAR Award in the category of College Volunteer Group.

“It’s all in connection with The (Kalamazoo) Promise,” said Klissa Jarrett, a K-College senior who has worked for the program for four years.

“These kids have a great opportunity; we just need to prep them so that they can take advantage. We are just working to get these students ready for school.”

The creation of The Kalamazoo Promise in 2005 means almost every KPS graduate receives an automatic, four-year scholarship to any Michigan public college.

To help ensure all students get the opportunity to take advantage of The Promise, the college students work to provide assistance to families who don’t have familiarity and experience with college.

“I have known some of these kids for four years. They are all very bright kids – they deserve a chance” to go to college, Jarrett said.

Alexander Plair II, a junior at Western, said the connection with children is why he plans to remain with the program until he graduates from college.

“I fell in love with the program and I fell in love with the kids,” Plair said. “When you see their faces every week, they start expecting you. Just seeing them progress is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Plair said he started tutoring students last November when Harvey Myers, one of the program coordinators, told him about the opportunity.

“I was seeking community service and he told me about the program – I was immediately interested,” Plair said. “I saw kids that fell off the map because they didn’t have the family support. I get the chance to support these kids so that doesn’t happen.”

For Plair and other students serving as mentors, it isn’t just about community service.

“We are creating relationships with these kids. It’s a great feeling,” Plair said.

1 Comment

• 
  Daniel December 17, 2010 at 3:21 pm

  great post, thanks for sharing

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