A number of groups in the Edison Neighborhood of Kalamazoo are coming together around the cause of helping its children become better able to take advantage of The Promise.
The free college tuition scholarship program for Kalamazoo Public Schools graduates to attend Michigan public universities serves the dual purpose of promoting economic development locally. But if students are not ready for college once they get there the potential of The Promise remains unfulfilled for them.
"Too many don’t have the skills they need to succeed in college," says City Commissioner Don Cooney.
At a recent event organized by Cooney, an internationally known expert on community organizing and empowerment, met with leaders from the Edison Neighborhood to tell his story and offer inspiration into the work ahead.
Dr. James Torczyner professor of social work at Montreal's McGill University, and founder-current director of the McGill Middle East Program in Civil Society and Peace Building, told stories of the work he has done.
The meeting brought together representatives of the Boys and Girls Club, the Edison Neighborhood Association, a neighborhood church, the Hispanic Council and others to talk about how they could work together.
Cooney invited students from classes at Western Michigan University seeking experience in community organizing to help with the initial step of bringing neighborhood leaders together. While the goal is for a number of initiatives to take place, the focus on education is where the group will start.
The Edison neighborhood is located southeast of downtown Kalamazoo and is home to about 10,000 residents. It is Kalamazoo's largest neighborhood by population, and is also home to Kalamazoo County's largest Hispanic community.
Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave
Source: Don Cooney, Kalamazoo City Commission
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