A Vision Straight from the Streets

Today's guest blogger is Tyran, a seventeen year old from Homewood who I have had the privilege of mentoring for the past seven years. These words are from a school project where he was asked to describe how he sees his future:

"I have thought of what my future will be like beyond high school. My goals are to go to college, major in business and communications. The reason I would like to do this is to be able to start my own business. I would like to give back to my community and help those in need.

I have decided to open a program for young adults and children from the ages of ten to eighteen. I want this community center to be a place where kids can be safe and happy. They need to get involved in activities to keep them off the streets. I would hope to offer some of the following: tutoring, social skills, life skills, arts and crafts, sports, music and more. I realize that I need to do well in school and graduate. One of the first things I should do is get involved in my community in order to support my major. Going to a local child care in my community will help with the idea that I have proposed. It will allow me to see what these centers do and the best way to do this to volunteer or get a paying position within my own community. This way I know if this is the goal I want to pursue.

I have lived in the same community for seventeen years. I have seen friends and relatives struggle to feed their families. I have seen a lot of people I know and love die. They become victims to the street life. Some never had a role model in their life to guide them and to show them what a different life they could have when someone cares. This center would offer that to them. I have witnessed the selling of drugs in my neighborhood and have seen many of my friends getting into trouble with the law to make money. This is not a way to live. Getting your education means you can go as far as you want and change your life.

As you can see, my community is in need of the type of center I would like to open. I want this idea to become a reality."