Education Students’ Generosity Brings Youth to Campus

Students in Professor Sandy Danna’s Education 310 course have taken student teaching to a new level. Their combined efforts resulted in a memorable day for students of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, a charter school serving families who make less than $30,000 a year. On Wednesday, April 8, Cristo Rey students came to UMBC for a college field trip and were guided through campus with tour guides from the class.
But getting the students to campus was not easy. Cristo Rey wanted to send their students to UMBC for a day, but the funds weren’t there. That’s when UMBC students decided to act.
“If we didn’t do anything, I wasn’t sure anyone else would,” said Willie Archer ’10, a student in Danna’s class. “The students at Cristo Rey are there because local companies help pay their tuition. They don’t have money for buses and lunch.”
The first issue Archer and the class tackled was feeding the 18 students from Cristo Rey. Knowing that some of his UMBC friends didn’t use all of their meals, he asked them if they’d be willing to give one up. Before long, Archer had a long list of student names and red-card numbers.
“I asked students in my classes, and I also went door-to-door to the campus apartments,” Archer said. “Once I had enough names, I set up an appointment with campus dining.”
Archer’s interview with Chartwells was a success and with funding in place, Danna’s class set up a scheduled itinerary for the students that would give them a glimpse of college life. Students contributed in various ways.
“A student came into my office and said the Cristo Rey students needed to have souvenirs,” Danna said. “Before I knew it, she placed $80 on my desk as a contribution. UMBC students have really gone out of their way to get Cristo Rey students to campus.”
The Cristo Rey students arrived at 9:30 a.m. and were escorted by members of Danna’s class to the Retriever Activities Center (RAC), the Observatory, the Library and The Commons. Before lunch, Cristo Rey students visited Harbor Hall, where they participated in a question and answer session about college majors and future jobs. They also visited the Aspiring Teachers at UMBC floor within Harbor Hall, one of the Living Learning Communities (LLC).
When asked why they went above and beyond to get the Cristo Rey students to campus, one answer is common.
“These kids need as much encouragement to come to college as possible,” said Archer. “Without seeing a college and truly experiencing it, it’s very hard to convince people what a wonderful experience it can be. I can only hope that this will make the students at Cristo Rey feel as if a college education is something they can attain.”
For more information on Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, visit http://www.cristoreybalt.org/.