The
people from ASB
were genuine, he
said. "They
really cared.”
So,
one day before
the deadline,
Johnson filled
out his application
to be admitted
to the University.
"I did the
whole application
in one day.” he
said.
Working
with his counselors
and his teachers,
Johnson handed
the application
to ASB participants,
who carried it
back to the University,
and he was ultimately
accepted.
Now he is studying
economics with
plans to work
for the U.S. Department
of Treasury when
he graduates.
ASB is a student-run
and student-financed
service program
that annually
sends more than
300 Howard students
to help residents
in troubled communities
in cities across
America.
Instead
of heading to
the beach or one
of the nation’s
famous spring
break party locations,
Howard students
will be working
in Atlanta, Chicago,
Detroit, New Orleans
and Washington,
D.C. This
year, they will
also help out
in Haiti, which
is still recovering
from the 2010
earthquake that
left tens of thousands
homeless.
They
will tutor elementary
and high school
students, work
on environmental
reclamation projects,
lobby and demonstrate
against gun violence
and help rebuild
communities.
In
Detroit, students
will tutor and
mentor high school
students at Cody,
Finney and Highland
Park high schools,
and at Henry Ford
Academy.
The group will
also volunteer
at the Salvation
Army on West Fort
Street in Detroit.
Johnson
said he hopes
by returning to
his high school,
he can inspire
others the way
ASB motivated
him.
“I
just want to give
back to my community
any way I can,”
Johnson said.
“I have
to. I’m
a living, breathing
example of what
ASB’s mission
is. In Detroit,
there aren’t
a lot of people
who want to help.
Family members
don’t even
want to help.
“I
am obligated to
people from my
school, everybody’s
school, to help.” |
