Alexander Gibson knows how hard it is for high school students to receive college scholarship offers.
As a student at Starkville High School, Gibson, now 23, says he saw plenty of fellow students and family members try their best, but still only manage a C average. And those students aren”t very likely to receive academic college scholarships, he contends.
Now, Gibson is trying to start a non-profit organization and institute a number of programs in the Golden Triangle, one of which would provide college scholarships to local high school students. Gibson is in the process of applying for non-profit status for his organization, dubbed “Help for the Helped,” and hopes to be up and running soon.
“There are a lot of areas we need to improve on as a community,” the 2005 Starkville High graduate said this week. “One of my main goals is to start a scholarship fund because most scholarships are based on grades, community service and letters of recommendation. A lot of people end up missing out. Our (scholarships) would take into account the student”s home life, because a lot of kids aren”t blessed to have two involved parents at home, their day-to-day interactions and things like that. Also, you have some students that just can”t make above a C and they really want to go to college, so this would help them a lot.”
Another program Gibson wants to institute would help find jobs for convicted felons. He and other members of Help for the Helped would try to work with companies in the area to secure jobs for felons who need to go back to work.
“I”m trying to break the Catch-22 cycle we have,” Gibson said. “Society tells you to get a job, but to get a good job you can”t be a convicted felon.”
Gibson also hopes to start a number of other programs through his non-profit organization, including a tutoring service, counseling service, crisis hotline and weekly food drive. He also hopes to lead community service and service learning projects in the area, establish a book club and free education program, hold monthly seminars, provide and promote college preparation material and provide financial assistance to low-income families.
“Most organizations do one thing very well,” Gibson said. “I don”t want to have just one thing I do very well. I want to be able to do a lot of things well.”
Once the organization officially forms, it would service citizens in the Starkville, Columbus and West Point areas, Gibson said. Eventually, he hopes to expand to the state and national levels.
“I really want to help as many people as possible because I”m only 23 and I”ve been a lot of places,” he said. “I”ve had a lot of people help me get to where I am and now I feel like it”s my turn to help others.”
For more information on Help for the Helped, call Gibson at 662-549-6569 or e-mail him at [email protected].
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