Sunflower County Freedom Project

Ms. Olivier’s Reflection

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:48:18 +0000

I’m Abby Olivier, an upcoming senior at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss!) from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I am majoring in Public Policy Leadership, and my minor is Southern Studies. My focus in school is education policy, particularly in Mississippi, so I decided to apply for the internship at the SCFP!

I’m in the midst of my third week at the SCFP, and I absolutely love every minute of it! I’ve finally gotten the swing of teaching writing, even though it’s a lot of work. Though it sounds cliché, my favorite part about my internship is getting to know my students…and even my co-workers!

My students are upcoming 7th through 9th graders, most of which were born in raised in the Mississippi Delta. Though I’m originally from Hattiesburg, MS, life in the Delta is a little different than southern Mississippi life. It’s a hoot talking to the kids about cross-cultural differences. For instance, Mr. Turner told me today he loves to drink “pop.” I had always thought that was a northern term. Of course, the southerners I know call it “coke,” even if it’s Dr. Pepper, Root Beer, or Orange Soda. Also, I’ve already learned about so many “cool” rap songs, sayings, and TV Shows that my students love.

I enjoy teaching writing, but I also have the opportunity to assist in the beginner Tae Kwan Do class with my co-worker Mr. Perkins and teach the performance class with my co-worker Mr. Robinson. Helping and watching the students learn Tae Kwan Do is endearing, because most of them take it so seriously and try so hard to be perfect at it. I see that same discipline in the classroom. As for the performance class…it’s amazing! We have about ten students in that class, and they are all amazing at acting/public speaking. They are not shy to be silly or play characters in front of the other students.

Overall, I’ve been having the time of my life singing freedom songs, eating freakishly healthy lunches, and learning about other students’ and interns’ walks of life. More importantly, I’m humbled to be given the opportunity to see these kids be so committed to education during the summer and to learn from this Delta experience.

Summer Intern Profile: Mr. Stanton

admin — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:40:17 +0000

My name is Carl Stanton, and I am interning at the Sunflower County Freedom project this summer. I grew up in suburban Philadelphia. I am a fifth-year senior at Berea College, where I am studying technology education. I am interning this year at the Sunflower Country Freedom Project during Freedom Summer 2011.

I am doing this internship for class credit through the education department at my school. The course title is “Extended experience in an alternative setting”, and is definitely both of those things. I went to a very academically strong, affluent, and mostly white pubic high school. Transitioning from that to a southern liberal arts college for low-income students has been quite a learning experience. During the two and a half weeks that I have been in the Mississippi Delta I have been exposed to the poverty and segregation that still exists in this area in a more authentic way.

Interning for the Freedom Summer has been an awesome experience so far. Although I am working incredibly hard, I am also learning valuable information about teaching and lesson planning, which will serve me well this fall when I am student teaching. The best part of this internship is the kids though. Seeing so many young people working hard to improve their own futures, to succeed in their education, and to be willing to dream big, and take the steps necessary to reach those dreams is very powerful for me. Hearing a story from one of the first year fellows about how her mother does not understand why she sits in her room doing math problems for fun, made me happy. So many young people become disillusioned with math for various reasons, so meeting young people here who really like math, and are talented at math is very encouraging. Over the next 4 weeks that I am here, I hope to further connect with the students, and to play whatever part that I can in making a difference in the lives of these great young people.

Mr. Stanton

One on One with Allen and Moser!

admin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:44:55 +0000

As promised, here is a little information about our new leaders. I sat down with each of them to find out some of the things they had planned for the future of the Freedom Project and the Freedom Fellows as well.

I first interviewed our new Executive Director Mr. Nick Allen.

Bre Lewis: In your position as executive director what are your plans for the Freedom Project?
Mr. Allen: As director I’d like to continue in the rich tradition of the Freedom Project by providing excellent after school programming that focuses on academic enrichment, civil rights history, and drama productions. I’d like to give all of our fellows the opportunity to experience new places through camping trips, drama tours, and college visits. We’re going to work hard and have a lot of fun.

Bre Lewis: What do you think you can bring to the Freedom Project that is different?
Mr. Allen: The fact that Justine and I both have experience as classroom teachers will give us an edge in designing and implementing rigorous programming for our wonderful students. We also have big plans for social media, trips, and community partnerships. We’re excited to get to work.

Bre Lewis: What lead you to the LEAD Center? What made you decide that this was where you wanted to be?
Mr. Allen: For me it’s a tremendous opportunity for me to work with students outside the classroom, and put students on the path to a successful and for filling life.

Next I interviewed our new Program Director Ms. Justine Moser.

Bre Lewis: Is the Freedom Project what you expected it to be? Why or why not?
Ms. Moser: It’s definitely what I expected it to be. I expected to find a place where the students of the Delta can feel comfortable, confident, and creative. A place that is different from anywhere else with high expectations and the possibility to experience new and different ideas or adventures outside of the Delta. The Freedom project is the tool that helps the students of Sunflower County realize their true potential and I am honored to be a part of this legacy.

Bre Lewis: If and when things started to get bad or don’t go the way you planned here at the Freedom Project what would be your drive to stay and make things right?
Ms Moser: The kids. They are the reason I come to work in the morning. The Freedom Project is all about empowering our students to create their own future through academics, the arts, physical fitness and worldly experiences. That idea, that goal that one day the students all over Mississippi can realize that they have the power to create their own destiny, is what drives me to keep going.

Bre Lewis: What lead you to the LEAD Center? What made you decide that this was where you wanted to be?
Ms. Moser: I had heard about the Freedom Project through a few of my friends in Teach for America. Immediately, I was filled with a desire to become involved in any way that was possible. I was instantly drawn to the drama program and the potential that it had to grow even more. I am really fortunate that Mr. Allen and I have this amazing opportunity as a team to lead the freedom project into a bright and promising future.

Sincerely, Bre Lewis
Chief Student Blogger

Student Poem: What Makes Us

admin — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:37:39 +0000

Our resident poet, Ms. Pembleton

Are we fighting with our future by hanging on the streets
Are we stressing the point because we are scared to ask questions based on our knowledge
Are we better than our friends who choose to sell drugs rather than pick up a book

What makes us into leaders
To lead the way
How can we stress to our mayors to our president
To better our schools

What makes us

~Ms. Phylandra Pembleton

Starting Anew at the SCFP

admin — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:32:18 +0000

It’s finally summer time! For students at the Sunflower County Freedom Project, that means it’s the start of our six week long Freedom Summer program. Additionally, the summer brings new, exciting changes to the SCFP. We have a new staff, new students, new activities, new trips, and new blogs. As a fourth year student at the Freedom Project, it’s my job to post this weekly blog that updates you on all the new things that are happening at the SCFP. Here’s what’s going on at the Freedom Project this week.

One of the biggest changes at the SCFP is the shift of leadership. Our current Executive Director Mrs. Hylden and Program Director Mr. Perkins will unfortunately be leaving us at the end of this summer to pursue new exciting adventures! Do not fear, they will be replaced by new our new staff: Executive Director Mr. Allen and Program Director Ms. Moser. We are excited to have them! Keep looking back for more information about our new leaders.

This time around, our blog will be updated weekly with student work, artwork and reviews to give you a firsthand glimpse of what their experiences at Freedom Summer are like. You will also get to know some of our students, interns, and leadership staff through reflections and interviews about how they are helping the Freedom Project grow. Here on our blog, you can depend on learning more about our students and interns, as well as upcoming trips and drama performances. We are certainly looking forward to an exciting summer and hope you will join us!

Sincerely, Bre Lewis
Chief Student Blogger

Jasmine Harvey Graduates!

admin — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 20:34:11 +0000

Our first college grad celebrating with our second!

On Sunday, December 12, Jasmine Harvey of the Sunflower County Freedom Project Class of 2006 graduated from Berea College with a B.A. in Theater. We’re so proud of the hard work she put in over the last four years! Jasmine is a graduate of Ruleville Central High School. She is now planning a move to Washington, D.C. to pursue her big break as an actress. After her stirring performance as Fannie Lou Hamer in the Freedom Project’s Five Feet Four Inches Forward as a high school student, we have no doubt she’ll go a long way! Good luck, Jasmine!

Native Son Returns Home to L.E.A.D.

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:34:11 +0000

Native son returns home to L.E.A.D.

By: Sasha Heller, News Editor

New Sunflower County Freedom Project Program Director Chris Perkins explains directions in Korean to students in his beginner’s Tae Kwon Do class at the L.E.A.D. Center in Sunflower.

One of Sunflower’s shining stars has returned home to lead the way for the next generation.

Chris Perkins, a town of Sunflower native, has rejoined the Sunflower County Freedom Project as the new program director. Perkins — part of the Freedom Project’s original class 10 years ago — is the first fellow to graduate from college.

“Chris brings a wealth of experience and a lot of energy, too,” Executive Director Sarah Hoftiezer said. “Perkins was here from the very beginning so he’s seen the project go from its fledgling status as a summer program all the way to a year-round academic program. He’s our first real success story.”

A Berea College (Ky.) grad, Perkins said the project offered him a safe place to come to as well as direction on a path that would ultimately lead to a higher education.

The new program director majored in African American studies though that wasn’t his first choice of subjects.

“I was really expecting to study psychology,” he said. “It’s just coming from a place like Sunflower County — a place so rich in Civil Rights history, so rich in the African-American experience, it’s much more fascinating to me.”

Perkins recalls how when he joined the project as a sixth-grader he was quiet and introverted but his involvement with drama and interaction with the fellows drew him out of his shell.

“I didn’t say two words to anybody that entire first summer,” he said. “I was very shy, very quiet, a very reserved person.”

The program also worked to instill a sense of confidence in Chris that enabled him to succeed in school.

“I was not accustomed to doing well in school,” he said. “I learned that it was possible for me to do well in school and that I had the potential to excel academically.”

Chris’ first job was with the Freedom Project as a summer instructor. After completing his four-year fellowship and participating in an internship in Washington, D.C., as a junior he started teaching the younger fellows during the summer program.

“I’d been in the Freedom Project and done about all I could do,” he said. “We were the first class so we were pretty much pioneers and the idea was presented to me to teach here.

“It’s not something I ever thought about before,” he continued. “But since that summer, I knew this is where I was going to be after I graduated. I knew that I was going to be back here teaching.”

Perkins is quick to share how the project has impacted his life.

“I never would have been able to go to college had I not been in the Freedom Project,” he said candidly. “When I was in the sixth grade, I was a ‘D’ student. I just assumed that I got poor grades because I wasn’t smart enough to do any better.”

Public speaking drills, dramatic performances and attending classes after school 5-6 days per week had a profound, lasting effect on Chris.

“The Freedom Project really guided me onto the path that I’m on today,” he said. “And as a teacher, it made me realize just how passionate I was about the place I’m from.

Coming home

“Even now, I’m back and all my friends, people I went to high school with, even relatives will say, ‘You’re back? You came back to Mississippi? You got out. What are you doing back?’”

It was that first summer of teaching with the project that provided Chris with the sudden realization that anything was possible.

“I just realized there’s something I have to give back,” he said. “I can make this place better. If everybody that has potential to do great things leaves, then we’ll always be where we are. We’ll always be here.”

It’s that drive to give back to the community and to the project that instilled a sense of greatness, a can-do willingness to strive to achieve that has brought Perkins back home.

“I got a lot from the Freedom Project,” he said. “It got me to where I am today and the least I can do is give back and give these students the opportunities to do what I did.

“It is possible for us Freedom Project students, for us Mississippi Delta students, to go off to a four-year college, to have dreams and to be able to achieve them. I just think that as African Americans the examples of success are so limited.”

He added that channels like Black Entertainment Television can sometimes send the wrong message to young African Americans about what it really means to be black.

“I just think it’s important for young students to have somebody to say, ‘He came from where I came from. He looks like I look. I can do what he did.’ That’s the example that I want to set.”

Perkins, 23, and his three brothers were raised in Sunflower by his mother and great-grandmother.

Sunflower County Freedom Project Program Director Chris Perkins demonstrates the "front stance" position in his beginner's tai kwon do class. Perkins was the first Freedom Project fellow to graduate from college and has returned to continue working with the organization.

“Most of my extended family is still in Sunflower,” he said, adding that a few of them are currently enrolled in the project. “I really enjoyed growing up in Sunflower. It was difficult to find something to do but, for me, my saving grace was the Freedom Project.”

The future of freedom

Hoftiezer said she’d like to see the program expand its enrollment to be able to serve more students. However, being a 501c3 program means the project does not receive any financial assistance from the government.

“So it’s always a challenge to keep ahead of the bills and to stay on top of the grant schedule,” she said. “We’d like to see more community support, more investment from community leaders.”

Hoftiezer also cited recruitment as one of the program’s challenges.

“It’s not getting the students here but keeping the students here for six years,” she said. “A six-year commitment is huge for anybody especially for a seventh-grader.”

Perkins said he’d like to see the project expand into other counties and continue to inspire fellow Mississippi students.

“I’d love to see Tupelo County Freedom Project,” Perkins said. “I’d love to see us branch out and to see people use our model and continue to do great things across the state and across the country.

“Our ultimate goal as an organization is to get every student that comes through our program into a four-year college of their choice,” he continued. “But the most important thing to me is that the Freedom Project continues to exist. These doors must stay open to continue to do the work that has proven successful in this part of the country.”

Printed in the Enterprise-Tocsin, August 26, 2010.

Ms. Smiley’s reflections…

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:31:11 +0000

My name is Georgiana Smyser and I was one of the interns with the Sunflower County Freedom Project during Freedom Summer 2010. I am from Houston, Texas and will be a senior at Dartmouth College this year. The following is a short anecdote about an afternoon that perfectly encapsulated what is great about the Freedom Project to me:

It was hot under the lights of the stage in the classroom Ole Miss was kind enough to let us use during our week we spent there. It was Wednesday afternoon, the third day of Performance rehearsal at Ole Miss in preparation for Freedom Day, scheduled for Saturday evening. We were putting on selected scenes from Chris Myers’ excellent interpretation of the events surrounding the murder of Emmett Till, “A Boy Named Bobo”. After a few casting changes, and a few cancelled practice sessions due to necessary study hall time, we needed every moment of rehearsal we could get. My co-teacher, Ms. Manne, sat in the audience patiently waiting for the run through to begin, Mr. McCoy our fearless leader watched expectantly from the rear of the classroom, and I attempted to keep order backstage. The run through began and every performer knew their lines and stage direction perfectly, however there seemed to be something missing. The Fellows seemed a little intimidated by the story and the emotions behind the lines. For most of them this was their first experience in a play and they were pushing themselves in ways they had never done before. If they hadn’t had the support system of their Freedom Project family they would most likely have kept their wooden and unsure performances all the way to Saturday not knowing how to let their emotions shine through. However, true to form, the Freedom Project would not miss this chance to learn and grow. Mr. McCoy once again showed his passion for excellence by immediately hopping onto the stage and work shopping the entire play scene by scene. Then in true LEAD fashion two Freedom Fellows who had been in Freedom Project performances before but were not in Performance class this summer, sprang into action. 3^rd year Mr. Gillespie and 2^nd year Mr. Thomas, last summer’s Bobo, offered seasoned advice on acting and even went up on stage to help their classmates feel more comfortable, showing them that it was ok to feel uncomfortable or awkward on stage as long as they were putting passion into their performance.

Ms. Manne and I sat back and watched, once again awed by the truly incredible display of support and enthusiasm the Freedom Project showed for its own. I hope that the Fellows feel they learned and grew as students during their time in my Writing, Performance, and Great Moments in American History classes. However, I know that I have learned more and evolved more as a person this summer than through any other experience of my life. The importance of community, the commitment to life long education, and the dedication to leadership impressed me to no end. I have been fortunate to be a part of many great learning communities from the excellent high school I attended in Houston, to the elite Ivy League school I now attend. However, no other institution has impacted me so greatly or imparted upon me the importance of education to the extent the Freedom Project did this summer. It was an honor and a privilege to be a part of Freedom Summer 2010, and I know I will carry the principles of Love Education Action Discipline, as well as the memories with me everywhere I go.

All my love to the Freedom Fellows,

Ms. Smiley

Freedom Summer 2010 in a little more than a nutshell…

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:20:48 +0000

I have always had difficulty writing succinctly. In high school, three-paragraph assignments turned into three-page marathons, and in expressing warm sentiments to my friends, I somehow managed to fit 4-point handwritten font into every last crevice of a birthday card. However, given the nature of a blog, I will attempt to reflect on my summer at the Sunflower County Freedom Project in a manner against my natural tendencies. This, I assure you, will be no easy task. How on Earth can I possibly summarize an experience that was simply, in every sense of the word, EPIC, in the short confines of an online blog? Already, my profuse introduction is exceeding the textual limit for such a medium. Therefore, I will cut the eloquent prose and get on with this reflection.

There are memories, lessons, awe-inspiring moments from this summer that I will carry with me far into the future. I walked into the LEAD Center on the first day of classes thoroughly terrified at the prospect of having the minds of 25 students in my hands. At the end of the first week, this fear was confirmed at which point my ineptitudes as a teacher had clearly revealed themselves. However, as the days went by, I realized just how absolutely, positively incredible the students at the Freedom Project truly are. I witnessed the students conquer their tough reading assignments and improve their comprehension. I felt like a proud mama as they showed their true talents at the speech contest, the Math Rap Wars, the Freedom Day performances, and countless other outlets. And remarkably, I saw myself grow alongside the students.

I have full confidence that the students at the Sunflower County Freedom Project will succeed in whatever future endeavors they embark on. They are budding artists, poets, inventors, businessmen, journalists, scientists, and most importantly, scholars. And while this blog has failed in being succinct, my summer certainly did not fail in being one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. Keep up the amazing work, scholars. You have inspired me more than you can imagine.

- Lexi Wallace, a Robertson Scholar from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, interned with the Freedom Project this past summer. She taught reading, media, and leadership. She was also the LEAD photographer and resident artist (the mural in the picture is some of her handiwork!).

Summer Reflections

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:44:22 +0000

Mr. Lerner performing his part of an original rap, "All the Way Learned Up."

My name is Jacob Lerner, but here at the Sunflower Freedom Project, I go by Mr. Lerner. I have been interning and teaching here for the last seven weeks, and it has been one of the best experiences of my life. We have spent one week planning, five weeks teaching at the LEAD center, and one week at Ole Miss, not including the class trips. I came here because I had a slight interest in teaching and have always cared about education. Before this summer, I had never really considered teaching as a long-term career and I just was hoping to have the experience this summer of being a teacher to use for other careers, maybe more policy oriented ones. However, partially in thanks to the students, the other staff, and the actual teaching, it has become much more of an option that I am definitely considering. The students are not perfect, and we have definitely had our rough spots, but they are truly inspiring. Regardless of their past or hardships they have faced, many of them still look towards the future with hope, and it made me hopeful. It feels so great when working with a student and seeing the topic click for them. I was teaching one student integers, and it made me so happy when he said that he had been learning about integers all year but it was not until this week that he understood how to add and subtract them. It lets me know that what I am doing is working and making a difference. In that sense, the benefit of teaching is doubled. The students learn and gain the tools for success and I am able to gain satisfaction from their success. Beyond that I have learned about myself and gained many skills, that will benefit me no matter what I do. I have learned classroom management, how to communicate with middle school kids and one of the hardest things is how to remain a teacher and keep discipline while trying to have fun with them and remain their friend.

The hardest part about this summer, is going to be next week when I get ready to go. I feel like we have been in a Sunflower Freedom Project bubble, and despite this hope, I wonder what is going to happen in the future. I would love for all of them to be highly successful and make it on to college. I know they all want to, but there are so many obstacles and I worry that some may not make it. Since I am leaving in a week, it will be more difficult to impact them. I understand that there are many people out there that can help these students, but it is mainly up to them, and I feel like they can handle the hardship. I would love to stay here longer, and I hope I can find ways to stay a part of their world. My wish is that ten years from now, if I find them, they will be successful, great, respectful people.

-Jacob Lerner, a Robertson Scholar from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, interned with the Freedom Project this past summer. He taught math, media, and study skills.