What did he need college for? He was destined for pro basketball.
This was one of several anecdotes of frustration shared during this week’s annual conference of the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP), the third-party, technical assistance provider for GEAR UP, the federally funded initiative aimed at improving college access for low-income students.
The story about the student who insisted he was NBA bound sparked a series of observations and suggestions in one of the workshops.
It began when a conference-goer said that her efforts as part of GEAR UP activities feel all for naught whenever youths, many of whom are minorities who are convinced they’re future football and basketball stars, laugh off any talk of college. The parents of one boy reinforce their son’s ambivalence for college by encouraging him to devote as much energy as possible toward basketball.
“How can we make any headway on academics when, even at home, everything is about the NBA?” the educator asked.
Based on audience responses and knowing head nods, this was a common challenge among her peers.
