Chicago Alternative Education Student Finds her Perfect College on East Coast Field Trip

(Chicago, Ill. – April 6, 2015) – Excel Academy senior Tiara Anderson now knows where she wants to go to college, Norfolk State University, a Historically Black College in Virginia. She came to that conclusion during a recently-completed tour with about 40 of her classmates of East Coast cities and campuses.

“Norfolk State made a great impression on me because I saw a lot of mothers, like me, on campus,” the 18 year old mother of a nine-month old boy said. “I saw students with their strollers or the little kids riding on bikes. They had their school books at the same time. They were furthering their education and still being a parent.”

Camelot’s alternative education sites in Chicago serve students like Tiara who had either dropped out or fallen years behind in their studies. A few years ago, going to college was the last thing this group of alternative education students had on their minds. Now, as high school juniors and seniors they are planning for college.

“Many of our students have never been out of Chicago and the vast majority have never been to that part of the country,” said Quenton Mumphrey, community engagement director at Camelot. “It was great exposure for our students. A number of the schools we visited offered application fee waivers for students who wanted to apply. We have other students who are planning to apply or who have already applied to the schools we visited to the trip.”

Aside from Norfolk State, the students visited Hampton University, Howard University, Morgan State, and Virginia Union University. Students also tour Washington, DC, visiting the White House and all the sites along the National Mall.

“Many of our kids come from social economic backgrounds and situations where they would not have opportunities that would set them up well for the future. I cannot overstate how important it was for them to see things that they would otherwise not see. For our students, their first time out of the city and you get to see the White House and meet with a congresswoman,” Mumphrey said.

As for Tiara Anderson, who in addition to taking care of her son and going to school, works at a restaurant, has her future mapped out, planning to major in psychology, teach high school English and ultimately become a principal at an alternative education program like Excel Academy, where she says teachers are like family and inspire students to keep going to school despite their struggles.

“Where we come from a lot of bad things are going on, a lot of abandoned buildings, a lot of vacant lots, a lot of drug dealing, things like that. Not only am I going to earn my diploma at Excel but they have now exposed me to a lifestyle I didn’t even know existed. When I went to Virginia I just felt like everything was more welcoming. It just felt like home.”