Points to Ponder
If you are a loving parent or concerned citizen, there are some facts that should alarm you.

1. The growing number of illiterates in this country.
2. The growing number of unemployed minorities disproportionate to that of their white counterparts.
3. The increase of gang activities and violence in our communities.
4. Overcrowded classrooms and jails.
5. The alarming number of high school dropouts and low test scores.
6. The unfortunate reality of minorities’ failed attempts at achieving higher education.

These are facts that we face daily. These issues are real and pressing at best. Our communities, nor our people, can improve unless we do something.

We have often heard it said that knowledge is power. It is one thing to know that a problem exists; it is altogether different to do something about the problem. With God’s help, we are going to do something about it.

The Vision
The College Run idea was birthed by God into the spirit of Rev. Virgil Jones, the pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church of Los Angeles. The College Run is a program unlike any other we have seen in the inner city, and perhaps in this country. The College Run is designed to introduce the reality of the college experience to all middle and high school students, no matter their race or religion. It is our understanding that any and everybody can and should go to college. With the right encouragement, we can steer many if not all towards achieving a four-year degree.

The Goal
The College Run focus is to impact the community with the conviction that college is no longer an option but a mandate. It should no longer be acceptable to any parent or guardian to allow their children to simply “slip through the cracks.” Since we know that it truly does take a village to raise a child, we intend to be that village. We are adopting all young people and making it our business to help them, even if they (or their parents or guardians) don’t know they need help. From this point on all young people shall be on our “radar” and we will point them in the direction of a four-year degree.

These are some goals of the program:

• Visit as many colleges and universities as we can.
• Assist the students in completing all necessary applications (including financial aid) for the schools they are interested in attending.
• Assist the students in writing their college entrance essays.
• Assist the students in finding quality scholarships.
• Assist the students in preparing for and scoring high on the PSAT, SAT I, SAT II, ACT, Advanced Placement and other college entrance exams.
• Assist the students in note and test taking to improve their overall efficiency.
• Assist the students in developing good study habits that will carry over to college.
• Assist the students in making an academic plan for their future.
• Assist the students by tutoring them in math, English and physical sciences.
• Facilitate family workshops to educate the entire families of our goals and objectives.
• Facilitate career workshops to educate the students on their options.
• Facilitate student placements in as many summer bridge programs that include dormitory privileges.
• Maintain an archive of all the schools we have attended and keep a permanent file on those schools.
• Maintain a working relationship with area middle and high schools to ensure that the schools are doing all they can to motivate the young people towards excellence and higher education.

To do as much as we can with minimal or no cost to the students.

College Run Program
The College Run proved to be exciting and rewarding. Our students learned a great deal about schools they didn’t even know existed. They learned which schools cater to minorities. They learned which schools embrace those with GPA’s between 2.0 and 2.5. They learned about the A-G requirements. They learned about the importance of getting good grades and testing well on the college entrance exams. They learned about what makes each school special and unique. They learned about college!

Each year, we visit between 40-50 colleges and universities. To date, we have visited over 200 schools in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Tennessee, and Iowa. We have been to Vancouver and White Rock, Canada; the Grand Canyon; The Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama; the Civil Rights Museum and the Lorraine Motel (where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated) in Memphis, Tennessee; the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, Boyhood Home and Ebeneezer Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia and other places of historical significance. This past summer of 2007, we visited several Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Next year, we plan to include Ground Zero in New York City; the Black in Wax Museum in Baltimore, Maryland; and visits to Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, Notre Dame, Dartmouth, and many more upper echelon institutions. With your help we can do it.

The College Run Reality
We are aware that college may not be the answer for everyone, however at this juncture it is our sole focus. We want to be sure that everyone knows that if they apply themselves properly, they can achieve a four-year degree or higher. For those who will not be able to fit into this mold, we do plan to introduce a similar program that will point them in the direction of a viable trade. We know that if we help our young people we can turn our communities around. Failure is not an option!

Should you desire to give financial support to this endeavor, please mail it to Calvary Baptist Church, 4911 W. 59th St., Los Angeles, CA 90056. Please indicate in the notes section, “College Run” and we will place it in the appropriate account. All incoming donations will be designated to fund this program. For more information, you may contact us at (323) 298-1605 or (323) 298-1145.