Running head: REACH-Memphis Community Project

REACH-Memphis Mentoring Program Community Project

Tony Miller, Jr.
Education and Community
Introduction
In 1969, Francis Hooks and Jed Driefus took about seven students to Philip Exeter Prep
Academy to attend their Summer Program. This program targeted the best high school students
in the city of Memphis. The purpose of this program was to give these students the opportunity
to explore different people, environments, and experience how life would be once they arrived in
college. Memphis PREP became a part of Memphis Volunteers for Youth Counseling. In the
early ninetys Memphis PREP became joined forced with Memphis Partners and joined the
Memphis Rotary Club/Foundation in the mid ninetys. However, Memphis PREP became an
independent nonprofit organization in 1997. In recent years the Memphis Grizzlies Mentoring
Alliance undertook Memphis PREP and provides a very large amount of the programs funding.
For the long duration of the programs existence Memphis PREP only accepted juniors and
seniors for their program. However, the success of the program has had parents raving about the
opportunity to their children in the program. In 2013, Memphis PREP started to accept high
school sophomores. The program added about sixty or so more students and have over 200
students in the current program. Memphis PREP recently changed the name of the program to
REACH-Memphis so the organization could no longer be confused with the high school in
Memphis. The name was officially changed March 22, 2014.
The goal of this project is to help high school students prepare for the college
experience they will encounter in the future. At the beginning of my project, I focused my one
objectives to be enhance my ability to teach academic skills to high school students. After
meeting my students, I knew my objective would not be reached because these were two very
bright young men. Academics would be the least of my concerns with them. I thought it would

REACH-MEMPHIS COMMUNITY PROJECT

2

be more appropriate to teach my students life skills and everything else they can learn about
going to college. I set out to be to articulate how to navigate through FAFSA, the college
application process, and other things that go along with the college experience. The students
and I will attend a workshop that will help build their resume writing, essay writing, career and
interview skills. The students will be experience some things that take place on a college campus
from an undergraduate perspective and a graduate perspective.

Methodology
When I graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University and realized I would be
attending the University of Memphis I was very excited. I previously visited Memphis during
my freshman year of undergrad. I wanted to come to this city and make an impact the same way
I did in Americus, GA, which is my college city. I was very involved in the community in
Americus. I helped with Habitat for Humanity, worked with alternative schools, and even
mentored students from local middle and high schools as well. When I first arrived in Memphis,
I thought the city would be too big for me to do anything of that nature here, and since I was new
to the city, I did not know anyone to contact about getting involved. However, one of my
coworkers sent me an email about a chance to mentor with the Grizzlies Mentoring Alliance in
October. I filled out the application and although they never contacted me back first semester it
worked out perfect so it could serve as my Community Project this semester. I probably could
have went online for mentor programs, but after my coworker sent me the email, I think this was

REACH-MEMPHIS COMMUNITY PROJECT

3

the best route to take since this was under the Grizzlies Mentoring Alliance. I receive an email
from Memphis PREP asking me to be a coach and to mentor two students. The workshop date
was set for March 22, 2014 and the closing banquet will take place May 1, 2014. I then
coordinated different meeting sessions with my students to enhance their experience and give
them a firsthand look inside of a college classroom, campus and residence hall.
Analysis
During the process of this community project many of the themes we covered this
semester was stumbled upon and enhanced my project experience. The readings essentially
made it easy to identify the lessons Dr. Mullins-Nelson wanted us to learn from this class and
experience. The different definitions of community played a major role for this project.
However, one definition seem to fit this project better than others. In an excerpt from
Memphis: Building Community (1996) Suzanne Goldsmith gives her definition of community
and it sums up what my community project was all about.
Communities are not built of fiends, or of groups of people with similar styles and
tastes, or even of people who like and understand each other. They are built of people who feel
they are part of something that is bigger than themselves: a shared goal or enterprise, like
righting a wrong, or building a road, or raising children, or living honorably, or worshipping a
god. (p. 8)
The coaches/mentors who volunteer for REACH-Memphis know that mentoring our
youth is so much bigger than us. Not only is it a way to give back to the community, we are
helping young members of our community to become successful citizens. Loeb said it best when
he described a community of support can help ease the inevitable frustrations of working for
social change (Loeb, 2010, p. 202). The ability to be able to touch lives of others and give back
to the community in such a way is Loebs statement personified.
Education is the way to help one navigate through life and that is what the job of the
mentors is for. However, I think if parents became more involved with the entire process it

REACH-MEMPHIS COMMUNITY PROJECT

4

would also help these students, but a lot of parents are not familiar with how the college world
works and although they may want to help they can't because they do not know themselves. This
one of the main goals of this program and other mentoring programs or informative meetings can
be set up so that these students along with their parents can have a blueprint on how to make it
through college successfully.
One of the major learning outcomes of this experience for me was knowing that I can still
make a difference wherever I go, no matter how big the city. It all begins with an idea and
wanting to speak up and make a change (Loeb, 2010). Loeb (2010) tells a story about Virginia
Ramirez who ended up discovering her strength by doing something, even though she was
unaware of these strengths. It just took enough motivation to see a problem and want to change
the problem, and while doing that she was able to respect what she saw in the mirror every day
and not be ashamed for not doing anything about a situation could have made better (Loeb, 2010,
p. 21).
One of the loudest messages learned from this experience was the difference of parent
interaction between the two students I mentored. One student came from a two parent home and
the other came from a single parent household. My first encounter with both sets of parents
came through phone conversations and I could see the difference between the two sets. The two
parent household seemed to be more relaxed about the mentoring process and did not seem too
worried about what was going to happen. On the other hand, the single mom was very
concerned about what was going to take place and how it would take place. I found myself
many times comparing her to the fathers from Kleins article From Mao to Memphis. She
wanted every detail, she wanted to know if she was doing her part, and she wanted to know if her
son was doing his part to make the most of this experience.
His mother was not as intrusive or as aggressive as the Chinese fathers but her concern
for him to do well was very high. She wanted him to do great so he would be a good

REACH-MEMPHIS COMMUNITY PROJECT

5

representation of the family she has raised (Klein, 2008). Another contrast between the two sets
of parents was their involvement at the workshop in March. The student which lived in a two
parent household mother and father did not attend the workshop, however my single parent
students mother stayed the entire time. The involvement level of the two sets of parents
provided a good learning experience for me and as I mentioned earlier was able to reach back to
that experience once we read this article (Klein, 2008).
Hugos article about learning communities also helped me with this experience. I was
able to see my students response to the shifting community (gemeinschaft) - society
(gesellschaft) patterns of social interaction (Hugo, 2002). Not only was I able to see my patterns
of social interaction, I got to see them in interact with me on an academic level. At the workshop
I was able to see how they processed the information they were receiving from the essay
specialist. I was able to see some of their strengths and weaknesses when as it pertained to
writing. I was able to see who was the most comfortable in social settings and also in the
academic setting. Although both students made good grades, it was obvious who was more
confident in the learning environment opposed to the social environment.
Another aspect of my community project was bringing my students to one of my graduate
classes. Only one of my students was able to attend my Multiculturalism on College Campuses
class. This was really a great class for him to attend and he learned some very tangible lessons
and he really enjoyed himself. Dr. Wilson split the class into three groups and gave each group
different lifestyles with different financial situations and random scenarios that happen in each
groups life. My student told me he enjoyed that activity and he wished his school would
implement different lessons which teach them financial responsibility. I was glad to see how
much he enjoyed the experience and also be able to learn from it. I did explain to him some of

REACH-MEMPHIS COMMUNITY PROJECT

6

the differences between the undergraduate classroom atmosphere and graduate classroom
atmosphere.
My community project experience touched on more chapters in Soul of a Citizen than our
articles. This paragraph will introduce the third chapter from our book that I have been able to
connect with my experience. A very interesting chapter in Soul of Citizen, was chapter eleven.
This chapter discussed how we deal with coping with burnout and how we can avoid getting the
feeling of being burned out. If we are to stay involved in our causes, we must set boundaries to
keep our lives from being so consumed that were forced to withdraw from involvement
entirely. (Loeb, 2010, p. 288-289) This quote by Loeb was alone has helped me throughout the
semester with school, work, and my community project. I believe in working hard, but I have
learned the hard way in many cases.
With Loebs quote on my mind going into this mentor program, I wanted to find ways to
have fun with my students as well as teach them things. The most memorable and most fun
event we took part in was the Memphis Tigers Spring Football game April 11, 2014. I was able
to take my students to the game and enjoy the game. We talked about school issues, but we also
were able to relax and not worry about all the schoolwork we had the following week. I think
this event was a major way to help me with my burnout and still spend time with my students
instead of coping with my burnout on my own. The students were able to go onto the field and
meet some of the football players and also get a couple of autographs. This was also happened to
be the first time one of my students have been to the Liberty Bowl and I am so glad I was able to
share that experience with him.
Overall this community project has helped me realize a couple of things about myself.
When I arrived in Memphis and learned about the inner city youth problem running rampant in
the city. The biggest thing I learned is I can still make a difference in Memphis no matter how
big the city (Loeb, 2010). I also realized that as long as I stood up and took action like Erin

REACH-MEMPHIS COMMUNITY PROJECT

7

Brockovich did in the self-titled film. This entire semester and even during my interaction with
my community project I was able to learn how important community is and also see many
different forms of community. I was even able to work with other mentors and discuss their
plans and learning outcomes they wanted to accomplish with their students. We all had the same
goals of helping our students, but we all had different means. While talking to them about what
community means to them and listening to almost everyone express their desire to give back to
the city really made everything come full circle. I was able to tie in a lot different lessons that
Dr. Mullins-Nelson tried to get us to understand from being an involved parent, environmental
awareness, or even being willing to stand up and stand out for something you believe in.
Once this semester ends, I will still mentor my students and after their summer
experience at a prestigious prep school, we will really start to prepare for college and evaluate
what they learned from those schools. I have also arranged my students to visit South Hall
Residence Hall April 26, 2014 and speak with some of the residents and also my current resident
advisors (RA) to talk about their college experiences thus far. I will continue this project as long
as I reside in Memphis. I feel this has become one of my niches over the last four years and I
really enjoy doing this. REACH-Memphis will host an end of the year banquet with all the
mentors/coaches and students one last time before each student goes onto their summer
experience.
I have two wonderful students in which one will be attending Wake Forests Summer
Program and another attending the University of Tennessee-Knoxville Summer Program after
being accepted to the Wash U Summer Program in St. Louis, Missouri. One of my students
received an overall 27 on the ACT and 36 on the Reading section. These students have taught
me so many things. The biggest lesson they have taught me is always taking school serious and

REACH-MEMPHIS COMMUNITY PROJECT

8

strive for better. The passion for greatness I have seen from my students has only reignited the
fire in me to do the same. This community project was really worth the time and effort.

My two students with the football players at the Spring Game.

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORSHIP: I certify that I am the author. I have cited all sources from
which I used data, ideas, or words, either quoted directly or paraphrased. I also certify that this
paper was prepared by me specifically for this course.

Signature

Date: 4/17/14

References
Hugo, J. (2002). Learning community history. New directions for adult and continuing
Education, No. 95, 5-25. (T)

REACH-MEMPHIS COMMUNITY PROJECT

9

Klein, A. (2008). From Mao to Memphis: Chinese immigrant fathers involvement with their
childrens education. The School Community Journal, 18(2), 91-117.
Loeb, P.R (2010). Soul of a citizen: Living with conviction in challenging times (2nd Ed). New
York: St. Martins Griffin.
Memphis Building Community (1996). Brookline, MA: Facing History and Ourselves National
Foundation, Inc.
Steven Soderbergh (Director). (2000). Erin Brockovich [Biography]. USA: Jersey Films.