J. Hackett
The residence hall was full, so they put us in the lower level of the building. Now that I think of it, I'm wondering if it was just a fancy basem*nt. But I didn't care. I made it to college.
My mom had dropped me off at One University Heights and we cried as we said good-bye.
The tears were based on the struggle of what we had gone through together. She was a teenage single mother who decided not to have an abortion, but to keep me. She worked hard to provide. Still, we didn't think we could afford college.
But we had help.
A TEACHER
Matthew J Guild was my chorus teacher and said to my mother, "if you let him come sign up for chorus, I'll make sure he goes to college". She had initially planned for me to go to the military. And I had no choice but to figure out how I could go to the military and be a singer. lol.
They didn't tell me about their little deal, but I'm glad this teacher made this commitment.
A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
Ruby Steele was a Black guidance counselor that told all seniors, "You willapply for college.I don't care what you think you about it." She told us to apply to a few schools - at least one long-shot and at least one sure-thing. All acceptances were posted on the wall in the cafeteria.
A SUPPORTER
Elizabeth Hanford Dole was the President of the American Red Cross and told me she would "keep her eye" on me. In 1998, the American Red Cross chose me as Volunteer of the Year, and she told me I could go to any college I wanted so long as it was a public school in North Carolina. I chose UNCA.
A GOVERNMENT
Now, I'm not a pro-government person. Honestly, I don't understand much of it at all. But I believe if it's there for you, you should take it.
Class of 2021, you have had a rough year. It doesn't look like anything you expected or planned for. You didn't get a typical prom or graduation. I won't reference the senior trips (both the ones that the school planned and the "other ones" - you know what I'm talking about). You may have been stressed out with being at home or just tired of online learning.
It's not fair.
But it’s the hand you were dealt.
And you can still have GREAT SUCCESS after this.
We want you to go and grow.
The first step is to fill out theFree Application for Federal Student Aidor FAFSA. This form could open up doors for you that you didn’t even know existed. You could go to college without paying full price, or even go for free. I did.
Don't wait.
The FAFSA makes you eligible for grants and scholarships that you don't have to pay back. You do not have to go into debt in order to get a degree.
The world is changing. It'll never be the same again. And with your degree, you could be a significant part of constructing a better tomorrow.
To live out your dreams, you'll need some type of training. And that training will cost money. But it does not have to be your money. It can be free money. The vast majority of jobs, 70 percent,will require a college degree or certificate by 2030.
A high school graduate in North Carolina with no college degree can expect to earn only about $11,000 a year out of school. After 15 years of working, they can expect about $27,000. But a high school graduate with two years of college can expect about $56,000 after 15 years of working. On the other hand, a high school graduate who gets a four-year degree can expect to earn $83,000 after fifteen years of working.
You can double the amount of money you earn in your lifetime if you go to college.
Now, some of you may be saying that you tried to fill out the FAFSA but gave up because it was complicated. Reach out to your high school counselor, any college financial aid office whether you plan to attend the school or not, or visit theCollege Foundation of North Carolina helpline for virtual and in person help.
You can do this, Class of 2021!
J. Hackett, Co-owner of GRIND, home of Black Wall Street AVL, Pastor of New Mt. Olive Baptist Church and Executive Director of Jordan Peer Recovery
