Q-Tip has been in charge of his high school education since before he was in high school, meaning he chose what school to attend and what focus he wanted his education to take. I can not express how proud I am for his determination and phenomenal decision making.
To start I was very unsure of what he was interested in when he initially brought the subject up over dinner one evening. He was rather excited about the school and how different his day would be from the average high school experience. My first reaction was rather unsupportive as I was not completely aware of the school he was mentioning or how the program worked and the idea of an alternative education did not abide well with me. Even with my doubt and concern he stayed focused on what he knew he wanted. If I remember right this was in 7th grade! In 8th grade when decisions needed to be made we went as a family to an informational meeting about these select schools and the process to apply. Like Q-tip I was instantly impressed with the platform and the process began.
Q-tip filled out the application which included multiple short essay answers about his desire to attend, why and how he would benefit from the program. He spent weeks perfecting these answers and creating the best presentation of information including a couple school projects he was proud of and teacher recommendation letters. They also reviewed his attendance record and school transcripts. He then attended an interview where he was informed there was limited slots available and the competition for the program was high. After which we waited patiently to hear of his acceptance. Receiving the letter congratulating Q-tip on his acceptance into the program made for a great day for all of us and the start to the most unique high school experience I have ever seen. The privilege is life changing.
Q-tip signed an agreement to attend all 4 years of high school in this program. He attends camp for 3 days before the beginning of each school year. His freshman year he spent micro term in a course about marine life that included an overnight stay at the local zoo and aquarium and a week long camping trip to the Oregon Coast. This year he spent mini term as a cabin leader for 5th grade camp students from within the district. He's taken Bike Shop where he dismantled and reconstructed bikes and then rode those bikes around town to explore and learn about his local surroundings. In Metal Fab he interacts with various mediums and equipment to create tools for his personal toolbox. Supposedly he's a decent welder. He is currently in a class where he manages all the teacher assistants (bridges) of the school and enjoys participating in after school clubs like Bee Club where they built and maintain hives of honey bees. So when he came to me saying that he wanted to apply to go on a Service and Study Tour to Nepal his Jr year I was not that surprised.
We went to the informational meeting about the different locations available: Nepal, Thailand, Italy, Hawaii and Miami. Each location had its own unique qualities and experience but out of all the options I would have to agree with Q-tip in saying that Nepal seemed the most community service based. He will be working with the Women's Protection Center which provides a safe home, education and vocational skills for women and girls rescued from human trafficking. Plus he will be working with the Gorkha Foundation in the district at the epicenter of the 2015's devastating earthquake to paint the organizations newly constructed schools, provide basic dental hygiene training with a dentist from Wisdomtooth, and converse with and train English teachers. Additionally, he will visit numerous World Heritage sites.
Due to the cost of this trip Q-tip will be using many avenues for funding, including: getting a job, savings, fundraising and donations. We have created a GoFundMe account for donations to assist in this process. If you are local and need or know someone who needs assistance with any projects Q-tip is a hard worker and quick learner. All donations and earned funds will go towards this Service and Study Tour. Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.
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