Bridget Pitre
February 7, 2019
Vandebilt announces new football coach
February 8, 2019
Education is key to being successful and having a more fulfilled life.
It’s estimated that more than 1.3 million teenagers drop out of high school every year in the U.S., which makes them ineligible for 90% percent of jobs in the country.
National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC) provides even more alarming stats. According to their website, dropoutprevention.org, high school graduates earn $143 more per week than high school dropouts. Dropouts are also more like to receive public assistance. Seventy-five percent of America’s State prison inmates are dropouts.
In major cities across the country, several incentive programs have been implemented try to keep at-risk stu-dents in school.
Locally, Houma native Alonzo Coleman and the community youth program he started, UPLIFT INC, recent-ly created such a contest with “Learn 2 Shop”—a contest that not only encourages kids to stay in school but also give their best efforts.
“I’ve been coaching AAU basketball for 10 years, so I see all the inner city kids who struggled with schoolwork,” Coleman said. “One day I just said, ‘Enough of this. Somebody has to do something.'”
Terrebonne Parish students in first through sixth grades with a 3.0 GPA or higher and an A in conduct are eligible to enter “Learn 2 Shop”. A student is selected by a drawing each month by Coleman and his associates. The winner gets a $250 ($500 for December) cash prize or gift card to a store of their choice.
In addition to UPLIFT’s “Learn 2 Shop” contest, Alonzo’s organization also created “Fill Your Dorm Day”. In May, one high school senior – who plans on attending college in the fall – is selected to receive dorm essentials as well as a $250 grocery-shopping spree.
In 2020, the program will institute a college fund in which individuals will receive a full college scholarship for a four-year university.
Coleman hopes the UPLIFT program can soon be extended to other parishes and eventually be implemented statewide.
“UPLIFT INC is a community education program where I’m just really trying to get the community to come together—all communities in Terrebonne Parish,” Coleman said. “Education is key; with it, you can be whatever you want. They can take whatever they want from you, but they can’t take your knowledge.”
To register a student for “Learn 2 Shop” or “Fill Your Dorm Day”, email Coleman at 985select@gmail.com. Participants in “Learn 2 Shop” must send a report card with conduct and contact info. In addition to contact info, seniors hoping to get their dorm filled must send a college acceptance letter.
