Gator Nation: Harlem to Gainesville

38.7%... 42.5%... These are the graduation rates of some of the high schools my students will be attending, and needless to say, the rates of those students who go on to attend college are even lower. I teach 7th grade math in a low-income, urban community and know that the only way to deal with this issue is to attack it before the students even get to high school. If you ask any of my students what their math classroom is called, they will reply with our homage to The University of Florida's football stadium, “The Swamp!!! Because only Gators get out alive!” My three classes have assumed the identity of "Gator Nation" after my Alma mater The University of Florida, all in an attempt to invest and motivate my students in both the importance and true awesomeness of attending college.

In addition to teaching math, I have given my heart and soul to investing my students in the value of a college education. I have worn UF's colors, orange and blue, to school every day for the last three years, covered my classroom’s walls in orange and blue paper, used our quarterback’s promise to “work harder than any player in the entire country” as a rallying cry for the hard work in our classroom, and taught my students that being a G.A.T.O.R means being Gracious, Assiduous (hardworking), Trustworthy, Orderly and Rational. However, unfortunate as it is, there is only so much we can do in my classroom that is more than 1000 miles from the University of Florida's campus. All the talks, stories, pictures and videos pale in comparison to the real thing.

Our plan is to visit the Campus of the University of Florida, talk to professors, sit in on classes, tour the athletic facilities and explore the town of Gainesville. However, given the socioeconomic nature of the population at my school, asking students and their families to pay for this trip is not an option. We need help funding flights for this life altering experience. I know that given the opportunity to experience the University of Florida campus first hand, my students would be infinitely more motivated to work their way through high school and into college, even if it isn't at the University of Florida.

There is only one way this trip can happen and that is with the help of donors like you. I can promise you one thing, what seems like an obvious life path to so many in this country is so distant to the students in my school. With your help, we can bring the hope and opportunity that comes with a college education that much closer to the children who truly need it most. Thank you so much for your generosity.