The Village Learning Place is working to move our organization towards a more intentional college-going culture; one that emphasizes options after high school including college, trade schools, and career exploration. As a staff, we’ve begun to examine more about why we ourselves went to college and who helped us get there. We wish to be mentors, role models, and guides to our students and families as they try to navigate both the complicated school-choice process in Baltimore and the stressful time following high school graduation.

As a part of this ongoing effort, 14 students and staff from VLP headed to Royal Farms Arena on a Wednesday afternoon for a CIAA tournament game. We thoroughly enjoyed a college basketball game, a delicious stadium hot dog, and some high-level pep bands and cheerleading squads. We saw some HBCU schools from Pennsylvania, Maryland, North and South Carolina, talked informally with our kids about college and college athletics, and really had a great time. While we were there, one of our LINK Leaders high school juniors said (twice) that she couldn’t wait to go to college. When she got home following the game, she sent a text to me stating, “I wish we could go back. I had fun.”

This experience was great! LINK program staff will be scheduling more college exposure and post-high school events in the future. The kids had a great time, and we believe the more they can be a part of the college experience, and the more they can picture themselves there, the more we can get them to understand and be excited about college and beyond.  

Kim Jolley – Teen Programs Coordinator