CYD

Because I am an advisor for EL, I get opportunities to do really cool things. Take this morning, for example. For most college students, knowing that you have to be up and at 'em at 7:30 on the morning after campus finally goes wet is not cool. For me, it was cool because I was so amped for Into the Streets, a morning of service for the freshman class. My job was to go be a freshman wrangler and make sure everyone in my group was having fun and getting involved in the project we were assigned.

I ended up joining the group headed to Create Your Dreams, and incredible organization here in Atlanta. These awesome people pick, based on need and promise, a number of 3rd graders from a small, Title I elementary school and basically foster and encourage their dreams all throughout elementary, middle, high school, and eventually college, breaking the cycle of poverty that has been inherent to their families for generations. Most of these kids are the first to earn high school diplomas, gain admittance into college, earn college degrees, and even go on to graduate programs. Some of these girls are the first in their families to make it past sweet sixteen without being pregnant. The kids get one on one tutoring, college prep, stability, a safe and secure atmosphere, and love and caring from the CYD team. It is honestly amazing. Our involvement today was to just have fun with and love on some of the kids. We played field day games, ninja, tug of war. We made crafts. We played UNO and Spades. We talked about Greek mythology, writing plays, playing in the band. These kids were so bright and cheerful, making my early morning wake up call incredibly worth it. And their classroom looks like something straight Out of the Box. Late 90's Disney Channel, say what.