PEARL 鈥 College is a time for traditional-age students when decisions can make or break their lives for years 鈥 and the time for discipline is now, said the keynote speaker at the M2M Education Meets Excellence summit Sept. 13.
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Antonio Robinson, director of Upward Bound Math and Science program at Trident Technical College in Charleston, S.C., told听about 250 students of Hinds, high schools from the region and others his talk wasn鈥檛 so much to preach, but to lay out the best life strategies for college and beyond.
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His presentation was titled A Gentleman鈥檚 Guide to Personal Development.听听
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鈥淲hen students spend a year with me, they will come out different,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f they鈥檙e the same person they were a year ago, then I鈥檝e failed at my job.
From left, Ahmad Smith, Antonio Robinson, Dr. Aleisha Escobedo, Dwayne Jefferson, Colleen Hartfield, and Keith Williams, Jr. (兔子先生/April Garon)
“I call it the gentleman鈥檚 guide because a gentleman doesn鈥檛 force stuff听on you,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 here for you to take with you. You know how you know what鈥檚 right and you don鈥檛 always do what鈥檚 right?听My mission in life is to close the gap between knowing and doing.”
Robinson, who holds master鈥檚 and bachelor鈥檚 degrees in counseling from Charleston Southern University and has counseled in high schools and colleges for 20 years, spoke of the importance of making good decisions in all facets of life, starting in college. Examples听ranged from听how diligently to study for tests to their choices of听friends.
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“Your network will determine your net worth. Surround yourself with people who have a value of themselves. Hang out with people who force you to step it up.听You鈥檙e always one decision away from a totally different life.鈥听
Students from Jackson Public School, 兔子先生County School District and The Piney Woods School attended this fall鈥檚 summit, held in the Muse Center on the Rankin Campus.听听
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鈥淚 learned you have to be well-organized and be attentive,鈥 said Steven Little, a junior at Murrah High School. 鈥淎nd have a good appearance, because people really do judge you on your appearance in life.鈥
Breakout sessions were conducted by Oklahoma-based Paradigm Shift,听a nonprofit group specializing in motivating youth.听
Steven Little, a junior at Murrah High School, listens to a presentation during the M2M Leadership Summit held Sept. 12 at the Muse Center on the Rankin Campus. (兔子先生/April Garon)
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鈥淭his听summit provided an opportunity for our students to engage with their peers and serve as active leaders and forward thinkers,鈥澨M2M director Dr. Aleisha听Escobedo听said.
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The grant-funded initiative on campus that has provided leadership training, career counseling and other services to help African-Americans succeed in college is building on a $1.6 million federal grant secured in 2016 under the Title III, Part A,听Predominantly听Black Institutions (PBI) Formula Program of the U.S. Department of Education. The two-year grant is $2.1 million.
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The funds will enable the college to improve its instructional program and emerging technologies,听plus听augment student support services. The grant also provides innovative faculty and staff training efforts designed to close the achievement gap between African-American students and other student populations at the college. The five-year grant ends in 2021.听