by Sonya Bernard-Hollins, publisher- Community Voices
editor@comvoicesonline.com
KALAMAZOO/BATTLE CREEK (MICH.)- When Makaila Morris spent the week on the campus of Kalamazoo College as part of the Tate-Stone Travel Writers Academy last year, she fell in love with the atmosphere. As she and the other students used the college’s computer labs for their writing, ate in the cafeteria and lived in the dorms, she felt at home. Once she learned of the school’s travel abroad program she was even more excited as her dream is to one day visit Greece. However, as a student of the Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kalamazoo College would not qualify for potential Kalamazoo Promise scholarship options. That is, until now.
With the recent announcement of the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship being expanded to private colleges and universities such as Kalamazoo College, students like Makaila of Loy Norrix High School have even more to be excited about. As they again prepare to spend a week on the campus of Kalamazoo College (July 7-11) their desires to attend the school have become more of a possibility.
The Tate-Stone Travel Writers Academy began in 2014, as a program of the Merze Tate Travel. The travel club was founded in 2008 with a grant from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. The mission of the travel club is three-fold: 1.) to expose girls to multi-media journalism, 2.) to provide an interactive career exploration opportunity; and 3.) to provide a free program that includes travel both within their community and beyond.
Since 2008, the grassroots program has operated with the kindness of organizations, which served as fiduciary agents; businesses who donated their services and dozens of volunteers who have donated hundreds of hours for the success of young girls. The program expanded from a Saturday program to an additional a one-week residential media camp. Last year the girls produced the fist Girls Can! magazine in collaboration with Community Voices. (see last year’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUNoANMXLvI See last year’s magazine issue: http://issuu.com/communityvoices/docs/small_version.
The students were selected through teacher and/or organization referrals, and had to undergo an extensive interview and tests to participate. In addition, girls who showed enthusiasm to learn more, have a passion for media and the arts, and were willing to be adventurous, were selected for the 16 openings. The theme for the 2014 issue of Girls Can! is Women in Business. The girls will spend the week traveling to various places to meet women who own and operate their own businesses in addition to women who have made outstanding strides in their fields. The magazine will be unveiled on Oct. 3 at MLive’s Kalamazoo Gazette.
Media outlets such as the Kalamazoo Gazette and the Battle Creek Enquirer have agreed to serve as mentors and instructors. The Kellogg Company’s African-American Resource Group have agreed to host the girls for A Day At Kelloogg’s, in addition to sponsorship. Other sponsors, partners include: Howard Printing, Hammond Roto-Finish, Public Media Network and many others. The girls will perform their community service project with the help of D&W Foods and Gazelle Sports. Students are sponsored by local organizations and businesses to allow their week to be a free experience. Sponsorship and underwriting opportunities are still needed: http://www.gofundme.com/81ljfg
The 2014 Tate-Stone Travel Writers include:
Shamya Banks, 5th grade- Northwestern Elementary School, Battle Creek
Azariah Blackwell, 5th grade- Edison Environmental Studies School, KPS, Kalamazoo
Alejandra Ceballos, 4th grade- Northeastern Elementary School, KPS, Kalamazoo
Kavia Couvillion, 5th grade-Northeastern Elementary School, KPS, Kalamazoo
Maya Daniels, 5th grade- Lakeview Elementary School, Battle Creek
Korryn Degrote, 5th grade-Northeastern Elementary School, KPS, Kalamazoo
Shadae Hillsman, 4th grade- Edison Environmental Studies School, KPS, Kalamazoo
Syann Hollins, 5th grade- Forest Academy, Charter School, Kalamazoo
*Sasha Holins, 3rd grade-Forest Academy, Charter School, Kalamazoo
Claire Khabeiry, 9th grade- Loy Norrix High School, KPS, Kalamazoo
Natasha Mahonie, 9th grade- Loy Norrix High School, KPS, Kalamazoo
Rickelle Portes, 10th grade- Battle Creek Central High School, Battle Creek
Kayla Raymond, 5th grade- Tree of Life Schools, Kalamazoo
Reyna Snell, 4th grade- Northeastern Elementary School, KPS, Kalamazoo
*Aliah Ward, 3rd grade- Arcadia Elementary School, KPS, Kalamazoo
Sierra Ward, 5th grade- Arcadia Elementary School, KPS, Kalamazoo
*Cub reporters who have returning siblings in the program.
Merze Tate, a 1927 graduate of Western Michigan University, led an amazing life. The Michigan native was the first African-American graduate of Oxford University, the first African-American female to receive a Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University and Radcliffe College. In addition, she was an author, inventor, spoke five languages, was an national Bridge champion and traveled the world, twice. In addition to her many other accomplishments (learn more at www.merzetate.com) she left millions of dollars to universities such as WMU where the Merze Tate Grant Center is located in Sangren Hall. The travel club she founded as a teacher at Crispus Attucks High School in 1927, in Indianapolis, Ind., was the basis for this modern-day club founded by Sonya Bernard-Hollins.
The program added Lucinda Hinsdale Stone to its name in 2014, when the summer academy was formed and held on the campus of Kalamazoo College. Stone’s husband, James, was the college’s first president; she the first dean of women. This forward-thinking suffragist took female students to Europe to study abroad in the 1870s. It is her spirit of world adventure and higher education for women that brought on a new role model for the girls to emulate.
Look for more on the Tate-Stone Travel Writers Academy to come!
