Students Spend their Spring Break Exploring Possibilities for the Future!
Andre’s eyes widen taking in the ornate brick buildings and the scattered trees on the campus green. At Clark University, he feels enamored with culture, diversity, and possibilities for the future. This was his 2024 College Vision Tour through Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia.
Andre had not thought much about college. He delights in his day to day work as a StreetLeader at Camp Harmony; he loves the children he serves, his family, and his city. But he knows after many years at UPW, never pass on an opportunity to grow. When Mr. Josh invited him to join last year’s College Vision Trip with 5 other teens and 2 staff, he quickly said, “Yes!”
“When I got there,” Andre remembers, “I could see the life and the opportunities…every college was different, and every one had its own culture.” At Clark University, Andre toured the school with a history major. Although he prefers majors like chemical engineering, communications, and business, he valued the lessons he could learn from the students showing him around campus. “She didn’t start in history, but she learned that there was more to it than she thought. She encouraged us to not give up and to keep pursuing our interests.”
On every tour and each new campus, Andre grows more fascinated with the potential; “In college, I will never be bored, everyone is included in something, and you can do what you put your mind to.” Andre thrives exploring the campuses with his peers and experiencing the curiosity and freedom of a university student.
But for Andre, the college vision trip means even more. “Every time you meet someone new, you’re adding to your family” he remarks “and that week, we were family.”
Spring Break introduced Andre to Nate and Jared, two teens he has never met. But during the trip, they are inseparable! “We learned from each other,” Andre says, as they navigate new settings and experiences together.
Andre also grew closer with full time staff, “Ms. Deborah is easy to talk to and tell jokes with,” he remarks “and Mr. Josh is himself everywhere he goes.” The College vision trip is a unique time for students and staff to spend quality time outside of their every-day context.
Without relationships, visiting a new school and seeing historical sites feels daunting, but in the context of his UrbanPromise family, Andre had the freedom and support to explore unfamiliar places and broaden his world.
This spring, you can take part in sending Andre on the 2025 College Vision Trip!
* $100 pays for an authentic college campus dining experience
* $50 buys 2 tickets to the National Museum of African American Music
* $500 provides 4 bedrooms at a Hotel
* $250 fills our vans with gas to travel to University of Mississippi (Ole Miss!)
* $1,000 gives vision for 12 students visiting 8 universities and 6 Civil Rights sites
Thank you for supporting UrbanPromise! Your donations are the spark for teens to venture into new opportunities for full life and transformation.