Fall 2009

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THESUNFLOWER COUNTY FREEDOM

PROJECT

“In twenty years, I will be living in a house that I will have built and working as a successul attorney.”- Janie Warren, Second Year Freedom Fellow

A Tradition o Success

For more than 10 years, the Freedom Projecthas been working towards the goal of preparingstudents for college. In 2006, our first class of Freedom Fellows enrolled in college. Since then,we’ve been able to successfully enroll each of ourgraduating classes in college every year. Your helphas been essential to our success.Now, when students walk into our LEAD Center, oneof the first elements of success they see is our rowof college pennants. They see eight different schoolswhere 10 of our graduates attend, representing fourconsecutive years of college enrollment. Now, eachday, we’re able to ask our students...“What college will we be putting up for you?”

Shaquille Leore

University o Southern Mississippi

I’m doing great! Southern is treating me well. Te classes so ar are pretty good. I’m taking Accounting, Sociology, Biology, andIntroduction to Merchandising Fundamentals. I took English, Math , and World Civilizations this summer and got twoB’s and an A. My college lie is GREA! I can’t count how many people I have met so ar other than people in my class. Actually I’m just coming rom a inormational meeting.....hmmmm! I’malso getting involved with a lot o other organi-zations here on campus and have a lot o datesor meetings to keep up with. My roommate iscool. He just made the ootball team....go gure!I’m learning that priorites are SUPER impor-tant! Homework and studies are at the top. It’sunny because just the other day I was think-ing in biology class about the hardcore camping trips and the drama trips (trips we take in theFreedom Project).....it seems like no matter what those memories will orever be with me. Tanksto everyone involved with the SCFP! It made thedierence or me! Hope everything is well back in the Delta!

Shaquille is a freshman business major at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Shaquille is originally from

Sunower and joined the Freedom Project in the seventh grade. During the course of his six years in the program, he acquired abrown belt in Tae Kwon Do, became pro

cient in video production and graphic design,and spent a summer at Princeton University with a Japanese exchange program. Your support has allowed students like Shaquilleto`benet from the one-of-a-kind opportunities the Freedom Project provides.

In 2009, the Freedom Project witnessedanother class of Freedom Fellowsgraduate and enroll in college. We caughtup with one of our college freshman tosee how his first semester was going...

LEAD Letter

We did it!

Class of 2009

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Freedom Fellows Latavius Pleas and MattieGuidrose with 2009 intern Olivia Manne beoreawards night.“My most memorable moment would be meeting the interns.It really enlightens my soul to see someone only a ew years older than me.” -Mykia Clayon, Third Year Fellow

Freedom Summer

2009

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July 25, 2009

On a Saturday evening, our group o six interns stood teary-eyed in ront o parents, students, and supporters during our Freedom Summer 2009 Awards night. Te night wasa culmination o all the hard work students put in over thesummer and the rst step in a long journey toward success.Here are some refections rom Freedom Summer 2009.Chelsea Caveny ( Ole Miss, 2011): “ My avorite part about the summer with SCFP was starting everyday with music. Istill catch mysel hoping out o bed with a Freedom song but it just isn’t the same without all o the students. Interning at SCFP was lie-changing. “Matthew Clayton (Duke University, 2012): “Each student had their own struggles to overcome, but I hope they will all continue at the SCFP. Our circle discussion brought out thecourage, compassion, and leadership in all o us, and I hopethis can be a testament to all o the amazing community wehave at the Sunfower County Freedom Project.”Erin Convery ( Duke University, 2012) : “ ‘My summer at the Sunfower County Freedom Project was one o the best experiences I have ever had. Getting to know the FreedomFellows and seeing them grow as leaders was amazing. I wasso impressed with their dedication and hard work everyday. “Kimberly Goe (Duke University, 2012) : “My experienceas an intern at the SCFP this summer has bound me to theorganization, the students, and the area, which is why I’mgoing back this Spring Break. It truly was the best summer I’ve ever had.”Olivia Manne (Epispocal High School, 2010) : “My avorite memories are o how much un we had on thecamping trip. Spending whole days and nights, cooking andcamping with the students bonded us at a special level.”

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Your dollars make adierence!

The Sunflower CountyFreedom Project runs ona lean budget of less than$130,000 each year. Ourindividual donors are theheart and soul of the SCFP.With your support, we willbe able to continue toprovide extraordinaryopportunities for ourstudents.A donation of:$54 pays for one Swahililesson$96 supplies gas for ourvan for two weeks$512 takes a SCFPvan-full of kids anywhere inthe South or Southeast forfield trips.$993 sponsors a full week of dynamic afterschool andSaturday programs.$4910 makes it possiblefor our entire FreedomSummer group toexperience a life-changingsummer program at Ole Miss

Over the past ten years, the SCFP hasaccomplished just some of the following:

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“I love the Drama Trips. I remember my rst and last one. We went to Atlanta, Houston, and Alabama. The titlewas “Bobo 2.0” and it was about Emmett Till. The trip was extremely un” --Lasonja Johsnon, Fith Year Fellow

What is the Sunflower County Freedom Project?

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Senior Diary: Amberly Dennis

I you were to ask me two years ago what my plans were or the uture, youmight have gotten a humpo the shoulders and a look o indecisiveness. But now,as a senior, I have begunmy quest to have a uture that will be much better thanmy past.My rst step was joining the Freedom Project, but now I’m in the middle o my college application process.Seeing as though the essays are the hardest part, I startedearly, so that by December, I will hopeully be nished. With the help o the Freedom Project and my teachers, Iknow that I won’t be disappointed when I receive theacceptance letters rom the colleges o my dreams.

Amberly Dennis is a Sixth Year Freedom Fellow at the SCFP. She has already applied to Ole Miss,Seton Hall, and Mississippi University for Women,but will also apply to Mississippi State University,Berea College, Princeton, and Millsaps College.

Founded in 1998, the Sunfower County FreedomProject seeks to develop a corps o academically capable,socially conscious, and mentally discplined young leadersin the Mississippi Delta. Trough eight weeks o summer enrichment and a year-round program o academic tutoring, Saturday S.L.A.M. programs, tnesstraining, and educational travel, the Freedom Project provides unparalleled opportunities or our students topursue a college-bound uture.

Our Impact: At a glance

Preparing or her uture...

Latoysha Brown is an eigth grade student atMerritt Middle School in Indianola, Mississippi.She is also a SecondYear Freedom Fellowin the SCFP. As oneof the top students ather school, Ms. Browndescribes herself as“determined, mature,and outspoken.” Shedoesn’t take all thecredit for her successand commitment: “Mymom got me to join the FreedomProject and helps me stay focused. Shewas a teen mom with me and doesn’t want meto do the same.” Latoysha’s mother, Maritha, isone of our most involved parents and believes“Latoysha knows that I don’t play around aboutschool. That comes first. The Freedom Projecthas really helped her experience things that Inever got to. I want her to go to college and besuccessful, because I know she can.” So do we.Through our educational travel, summerenrichment, and college placements, ourstudents have visited more than 25 different citiesacross the country, in addition to Puerto Rico andMexico. This exposure dramatically increases ourstudent’s ability to visualize their opportunites.