Sunday, January 17, 2010
A promise that needs to be kept
Luanne Rife
Recent columns
- Incentives to do business in Roanoke
- In support of informed opinions
- When values slide, rates rise
- City taxes fly through loophole
From the RoundTable blog
Hands-down, one of the most ethically bankrupt characters on television is Michael Scott of "The Office." In an episode last month, Michael had to confront a class of high school seniors who greeted him wearing Scott's Tots T-shirts and rapping "Whatcha gonna do when your dreams come true."
He had promised them as grade-schoolers that if they studied hard and stayed in school, he would pay for their college education.
"I have made some empty promises in my life, but hands-down, that was the most generous," he said.
When he made the pledge, Michael intended to have earned millions by the time the class graduated. Ten years later, he hadn't and was actually worse off. He reluctantly confesses, then offers them what little assistance he can with their studies -- laptop batteries.
The kids are devastated. Batteries? That's it? They had spent most of their young lives believing his promise.
It was a terribly uncomfortable scene. Good that it was fiction. What if, though, some day the same scene is forced to play out in Roanoke's classrooms?
After all, it is the same type of promise city students are hearing -- and believing -- about the Community College Access Program.
When school board Chairman David Carson visits middle school classrooms, he asks how many want to go to college. Hands shoot up. He asks how many think they won't be able to go because they can't afford it. Far too many.
Don't worry, Carson tells them, we've got you covered.
For now, Roanoke does with a program started in 2008 that combines contributions from four sources: the school system, the city, businesses and foundations. To sustain the promise, the pool needs to be built to $400,000 a year, with $100,000 coming from each segment.
So far, each entity has held firm to its commitment, to the benefit of the first class of recent high school graduates moving through Virginia Western Community College. To qualify, each student has to maintain a 2.0 average, attend city schools for at least their last two years and apply for financial aid. Students must also take a test that assesses their college readiness and take remedial classes if they need the extra help.
The program is one of the tactics the school system has developed to keep students from dropping out of school. If middle-schoolers are convinced they have a shot at a brighter future, they won't give up so easily.
The program is already making a difference.
This year, "102 students are going to college who wouldn't have gone to college," said Jason Bingham, the school board member who has spearheaded the project.
Bingham recently briefed city council members on the program's progress and is asking them to pledge to make a lasting financial commitment -- one that honors the promise to students long after their terms expire on the council and the school board.
This is important as Roanoke students, their parents and the business community need to know for certain that as each class graduates, students who applied themselves -- regardless of how economically disadvantaged -- earned the ability to attend college.
City council members should consider carefully the implication to Roanoke's youth should they fail to make the commitment.
Promises made to today's sixth-graders will need to be kept even when a new cast of characters fill the city council roles. Otherwise, it's a generous, but empty, offer.
