College Bound

This has been an exciting season for me in Pittsburgh. Those of you who follow my blog know that I've been mentoring some boys since their junior year in high school. This past season I've been trying to get them to look at what is in store for them next year. The problem is they are trying to figure out how they are going to get the fee for their basketball team or $10 to go to a movie and I'm asking them about a concept most of their families have never really talked about other than the way I might talk about winning the lottery with a friend.

2 of the guys we knew who played on their high school football team got invited to check out Loch Haven University. This started making it real that high school is about over and these boys need to make a plan.

One night 2 boys were over and I was able to have what I feel is a breakthrough conversation about what is in store for them and what plans are they making for the future. As a result of the conversation and some follow up confirmation conversations they've had they have both enrolled in a local Trade Tech college. They are going to welding school and it's exciting to see their excitement and one mindedness on this particular goal they have.

I've developed a relationship with the Athletic Director at the high school that most of these boys attend and through our tag teaming we've gotten the other boys to fill out their FAFSA(financial aid application). We then took 4 of our boys to Penn State New Kensington and we were able to get them accepted a provisional students. (this means that they need to carry a 2.0 or better for the first semester or 18 credits.) In other words the 5 of the boys I've been working closely with have been accepted into college or trade school. They had an orientation this past weekend and this has really excited the boys in their decision to go to Penn State.

All in all, I've got to say that I feel like a proud papa. I'm not ignorant to the fact that we still have a long way to go but we are on the "bus"!