This introductory class for parents will explore the meaning, goals, and services provided by Project Ujima. Learn what you can do to help your child graduate and be prepared for college or career. Learn how to navigate the school system so that your child will be more successful in school. Learn strategies to help promote positive social behavior.
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Project Ujima students at USC |
An enthusiastic group of more than 80 San Diego Unified parents, guardians and students participated in Project Ujima’s tour of the University of Southern California and the California African American History Museum on April 16.
Although Los Angeles was experiencing record high temperatures that day, the heat didn’t stifle the group’s enthusiasm, because Project Ujima parents and guardians were on a mission. They wanted their children to walk the halls of a university within reach of their hopes and dreams for a brighter future, and they also wanted to take the opportunity to appreciate the struggles and accomplishments of their African American forbearers.
The theme for the day might very well have been, “Name it and Claim It.” Whether it was a future as a USC Trojan or a renewed respect for the struggles and accomplishments of generations of African Americans, Project Ujima families were ready to claim their place in education and history.
Upon reaching the USC campus, Project Ujima participants were divided into small, interactive walking tour groups. Thanks to the foresight of Elneda Shannon, co-creator of Project Ujima and manager of the district's Harold J. Ballard Parent Center, most of the tours were led by current USC African-American students who are San Diego natives. This meant that the Project Ujima families explored USC under the guidance of campus tour guides who grew up in the same communities and attended the same schools as they did. As a result, the tour guides were seen by both parents and children as role models for what the children could accomplish educationally, and parents and students alike exhibited pride of ownership when they asked the tour guides questions ranging from student-teacher ratios to dormitory living, financial aid packages and GPA criteria for admission.
Throughout the day, whether it was during the guided tour of the campus grounds or while seated in the college classrooms or touring libraries and enjoying a delicious meal in one of the cafeterias, Project Ujima youth were constantly reminded to “see your future today; imagine more for yourselves. Have a plan for your future at every grade level.”
In many ways, the exchanges that occurred at USC served as important reminders that that the families in Project Ujima are going the extra mile to safeguard their children’s futures by participating in classes designed to help strengthen African American families, promote academic excellence, and provide parents with additional tools to help them become strong educational advocates for their children.
Before the tour, Project Ujima parents and extended family members had already participated in numerous sessions and workshops about the importance of appreciating African American history and culture, the need to promote a college-going culture in the home and community for youth of all ages, and the importance of postsecondary educational training to help prepare today’s youth to be contributing members of society. The tour of one of California’s premiere universities reinforced what families have been learning in Project Ujima classes for several months and gave them added incentive to guide their children along the path to academic success.
A visit to the renowned California African American History Museum, located next to the USC campus, was a fitting end to the day. It was here that previous work on the importance of instilling Black Pride in youth merged seamlessly with the day’s other activities. Prior to heading home for the day, Project Ujima families enjoyed the museum’s guided tours, interactive displays, and exhibits of historical photos and artifacts of African American heritage.
A grant from Target Foundation is supporting San Diego Unified School District efforts to boost African-American student achievement by strengthening family involvement in schools.
The $50,000 grant will enable expansion of outreach to more schools and families, and provide ambitious programs -- such as taking district students and their families to visit college campuses.
"The goal is to show students and their families that college can be attainable, and for parents to see what they need to do to help their children attain that goal starting at a young age," said Elneda Shannon, program manager of Parent Outreach and Engagement Department's Project Ujima, which serves African-American families. Read more.
Project Ujima is named for the third principal of Kwanzaa, which means collective work and responsibility. The Target Foundation arts grant will also enable Project Ujima to take district students and families to Los Angeles to tour the California African American Museum of Art. Using the arts is a powerful way to connect students to learning, said Shannon, and it's important for them to see the achievements of African Americans in culture.
The grant fits the goal of the year-old Project Ujima program to reaffirm African American cultural understandings and teachings that promote positive development and achievement. The program focuses on students in Title I schools, which educate a larger percentage of students in lower socio-economic levels.
"When we take students and families to see what is possible, it's like a light goes on," said Shannon. The program aims at improve academic performance and graduation rates among African American students, who account for more than 11 percent of the district's 134,000 students.
Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its income to support and enrich the communities the retail company serves. Today that equals more than $3 million every week to support education, the arts, social services and volunteerism.
