When volunteering in the community, it is very easy to become distracted by the overwhelming issues we face or the constant bureaucracy not benefiting the "common people." Even when we are on a mission to address the issue in which we started our journeys, we learn of the dependent issues prohibiting us we want to resolve those also which can further detour the mission. Community work like all other things in life are not easy, yet we all have a chance to make sustainable change to whatever issue we want resolved. My constant reminders to continue to advocate for education are when I receive a Facebook update from my cousins or nephew, when I pick up my God son from daycare every Tuesday or when my cousins call to work around my house for spending money. It is in those moments that I know no matter the racist, sexist, classist challenges I face currently, but in fifteen years when KCPS is a thriving educational system and Kansas City is a viable place for them [and their peers] to come and live after college that I will continue to advocate.
Since the school board campaign this past spring, I have been provided with a few opportunities to expose more people to what is or isn't occurring in the community and actually hear their solutions to the issues. Campaigning is a pruning time when one will clearly see who is for or against the issues one advocates for. Many will fall to the wayside, many will truly tell you what they think of you and the issue and the rest will continue to exist as if currently how we live is conducive to the community serve. Of the many, only two have continued to stand with me at the forefront advocating for education. It is on the strength of these wonderful ladies that I was able to stay focused and find my place to advocate. In a casual conversation with a close friend on a way to a leisure event, we coined 113. I discussed it with the ladies and they immediately were drawn to the idea because they were able to instantly identify with the ways in which we can support scholars outside of the schools.
Out of 168 hours in one week, a scholar attending KCPS is in the school environment on average of 55 hours per week (transportation, in class, extra-curricular activities, etc.). The remaining 113 hours they are in the community. Yes, yes they are hopefully sleeping about 56 hours or more of that time, but we still influence it. I give the example of the three high schoolers on my block. Because I am a young neighbor, the expectation is I would have people over all the time, party all week and not take care of my home/yard. If I was to do what some perceive will occur with my age, then I would be negatively influencing the three high schoolers environment because I would be disturbing their sleep, creating an unsafe environment for their families and causing environmental hazards. As a professional, I do not have 113 hours per week to devote directly to a scholar in my community, but what I can do in the hours I live my own life I can ensure I do not negatively interfere with the lives around me. So if that means I need to shed back my branches and ensure no one parks on my grass, then that is my 113 for the week.
Many can blame the parents, teachers, KCPS and the past/present school boards for the failure of our scholars; yet we who are neighbors (urban & suburban), family members, alumni, elected officials, business owners have some blame to step up to also. K.W. shared an understanding of how clean her front porch is contributes to the environment the scholars in her neighborhood see when walking to and from the bus. It is her passion to let any and everyone know she is an alumni of KCPS and other almumni of KCPS can be successful as she is currently a business owner in Kansas City. R.S. understands the need for access to fresh produce and created an awareness campaign of places near her home where fresh produce can be purchased. We may not be the oridnary influencers of education, yet we do understand how our actions affect the scholars and their families in our community and encourage others to begin thinking of how they can influence a scholar in KCPS within the realms of 113 For Urban Ed.
For more details about 113, check out our FB or Twitter for updates.
For details on K.W. or R.S., check out their FB pages.
Candace Koba
Since the school board campaign this past spring, I have been provided with a few opportunities to expose more people to what is or isn't occurring in the community and actually hear their solutions to the issues. Campaigning is a pruning time when one will clearly see who is for or against the issues one advocates for. Many will fall to the wayside, many will truly tell you what they think of you and the issue and the rest will continue to exist as if currently how we live is conducive to the community serve. Of the many, only two have continued to stand with me at the forefront advocating for education. It is on the strength of these wonderful ladies that I was able to stay focused and find my place to advocate. In a casual conversation with a close friend on a way to a leisure event, we coined 113. I discussed it with the ladies and they immediately were drawn to the idea because they were able to instantly identify with the ways in which we can support scholars outside of the schools.
Out of 168 hours in one week, a scholar attending KCPS is in the school environment on average of 55 hours per week (transportation, in class, extra-curricular activities, etc.). The remaining 113 hours they are in the community. Yes, yes they are hopefully sleeping about 56 hours or more of that time, but we still influence it. I give the example of the three high schoolers on my block. Because I am a young neighbor, the expectation is I would have people over all the time, party all week and not take care of my home/yard. If I was to do what some perceive will occur with my age, then I would be negatively influencing the three high schoolers environment because I would be disturbing their sleep, creating an unsafe environment for their families and causing environmental hazards. As a professional, I do not have 113 hours per week to devote directly to a scholar in my community, but what I can do in the hours I live my own life I can ensure I do not negatively interfere with the lives around me. So if that means I need to shed back my branches and ensure no one parks on my grass, then that is my 113 for the week.
Many can blame the parents, teachers, KCPS and the past/present school boards for the failure of our scholars; yet we who are neighbors (urban & suburban), family members, alumni, elected officials, business owners have some blame to step up to also. K.W. shared an understanding of how clean her front porch is contributes to the environment the scholars in her neighborhood see when walking to and from the bus. It is her passion to let any and everyone know she is an alumni of KCPS and other almumni of KCPS can be successful as she is currently a business owner in Kansas City. R.S. understands the need for access to fresh produce and created an awareness campaign of places near her home where fresh produce can be purchased. We may not be the oridnary influencers of education, yet we do understand how our actions affect the scholars and their families in our community and encourage others to begin thinking of how they can influence a scholar in KCPS within the realms of 113 For Urban Ed.
For more details about 113, check out our FB or Twitter for updates.
For details on K.W. or R.S., check out their FB pages.
Candace Koba
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