Jarrell V. Jordan understands the value of HBCU outreach in secondary school systems. In 2016, he established the Importance of Education Tour to motivate and inspire students and parents about the prospects of historically black colleges in career development―all while balancing life as a sophomore political science and religion major at Morehouse College and being named as an Ambassador for the White House Initiative on HBCUs All-Star Ambassador program.
In its inaugural year, the Tour partnered with Birmingham Public Schools and Birmingham area churches to spread the message of educational access. In just two years, the tour has grown to include stops in Atlanta and select cities in Texas, and additional schools throughout Alabama. More than 15 students from Morehouse, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University now serve as Tour Ambassadors and speakers on its circuit.
“When I was young, I only saw negative things in my community,’ said Jordan, who also is a member of the Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Scholars Program. “I only saw people making the wrong decisions and no one was choosing education as a way out.”
The Importance of Education Tour is an opportunity for students to have structured conversation with Jordan and other Tour Ambassadors about education, goal setting, and achieving those goals. Students are very responsive to the concept of having access to someone like Jordan, who is successful and near-peer aged.
Rosevelt Morris Jr., Tour Ambassador and Morehouse student, recalls that students are very excited and honored to have people come back to speak to them about their education and their future plans.
Jordan and the Importance of Education Tour is very impactful. It allows students the ability to be introspective, to investigate their actions, and determine what their next best course of action is in their educational pursuit.
When students are consistently presented with opportunities that empower, educate, and inspire them, they become empowered, educated, and inspirational models to others. One student thanked Jordan and expressed to him that she now feels better equipped to help her brother make better decisions.
The next Importance of Education Tour stop is Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School on Monday, February 12, 2018. To support the Importance of Education Tour, please visit www.ImportanceofEducationTour.org.
