The CHALLENGE! Learning at school is a challenge for all children. But due to economic and social factors, some children find school to be intimidating and discouraging, resulting in low attendance and high drop-out rates. In our Waterloo School District , African-American boys regularly score lower than white students on standardized tests, and two out of every three boys who enter high school fail to earn a diploma.
Some refer to this difference as an achievement or opportunity gap. The bottom line is that a low percentage of African?American students from our community are graduating from high school and entering college. One result is that too many end up in our criminal justice system. As a community, we face an important challenge: will these young men end up in our schools or on the street? Will they end up in college, or in jail?
The PROMISE! In attempt to level the academic playing field, help each student reach his full potential, and encourage economic stability and growth in the African-American community, in January of 2006 Dennis Harbaugh and Juanita Williams established the Harbaugh-Williams Education Promise Fund. The Promise Fund will provide incentives to increase the academic performance of African-American students and will provide college scholarship assistance so more minority students will receive higher education degrees and qualify for better paying jobs and meaningful careers.
With the help of the Waterloo School District , a 2nd grade class of African-American boys at the Dr. Walter Cunningham School for Excellence has been choosen. If these students attend class, complete their homework, do well in middle school, take challenging high school courses, graduate in good standing from high school, and apply for the scholarship, the Promise Fund will pay for two years of each student’s college tuition costs (at an amount equal to Iowa’s state universities).
The PLAN! This vision will not come about easily, but the Promise Fund expects to succeed because a comprehensive plan is being implemented. This plan involves our entire community and includes:
- Parent Involvement. Parents will meet regularly With school staff, agree to written expectations, receive parent ‘report cards,’ and receive information related to preparing their sons both academically and financially for college.
- Individual Mentoring. Each student involved with the Promise Fund effort will be paired up with a mentor from our community.
- Group Mentoring. The Black Alliance, a local group of African-American professional men, will provide group mentoring experiences designed to build expectations within the class. Local African-American fraternities from UNI will be asked to provide support as well.
- Sweat Equity. Students and their parents will be required to participate in an annual fundraising activity to help bolster and build the Promise Fund.
- Community Outreach. Contributions to build the Promise Fund will be raised from individuals and organizations within our community. Working groups to coordinate these activities have been formed and are already on task.
The NEED! The cost of college tuition is high and rising each year. The estimated cost of fully funding two years of college tuition for 20 students beginning in 2016 is $493,000. Utilizing a mortgage loan, Dennis Harbaugh and Juanita Williams started the Promise Fund with $85,000. They did so with the belief and hope that their extended family, friends, colleagues and the Waterloo/Cedar Falls community would see the merit in this shared vision and contribute generously to the Promise Fund during the next 10 years. We can reach our goal, but only if the entire community is willing to help.
If you would like to donate to the Harbaugh-Williams Education Fund CLICK HERE and fill out the form located on the back of the brochure!
For more information check out the website at http://educationpromisefund.org or check out the class updates!
Harbaugh Williams Class Update 2007
Harbaugh Williams Class Update 2008
Harbaugh Williams Class Update 2009
