You usually hear about children wanting to go to Disneyland after they do well in something. Rarely do you hear them (or anyone really) say that they want to go to Africa, but that is just what one school did. Kipp Ways Academy’s 8th graders decided that they wanted to go to Ghana as a reward for doing well. They held car washes, sold candy, and engaged their community (who jumped in feet first) to raise money. A local Ghanian DJ held a radio-a-thon and collectively they raised $40,000. Delta Airlines heard about it and gave $100,000 worth of airline tickets. Councilman Mitchell was instrumental in helping them meet Delta Airlines. If this isn’t a great example of a village raising the children, I don’t know what is.

The children visited Ghana, connected with the land, and came back a changed group of people. They exchanged email addresses, visited the slave routes and dungeon, played basketball, and basically interacted with the Ghanian children. As a result, they have developed a stronger sense of self, and have influenced the community that they live in. They have been featured on CNN, Ebony, and several local news media. Kudos to the children for achieving at a high level even though, statistically they are touted to be destined to fail. It is always great to see people rise above circumstances and show the rest of the world how to do it. Congratulations to the 8th graders of Kipp Ways Academy! You can learn more about Kipp Ways Academy from their website.