Game Changers: The Conscious Culture Volume 2 Issue 8 | Page 25

As a math teacher, I’m respon- sible for ensuring that students learn and understand concepts that are specific to courses they are enrolled. I often move beyond the role of a tradition- al teacher and provide advice, counseling, and mentorship especially as it relates to the future of my students who are 14 to 15 years of age – if a freshman – and older. In my early years as a teacher, I often told students about the possibilities that exist beyond their school walls, neigh- borhood, community, the Atlanta metro area, and the state of Geor- gia. I would share with students my projections on schools they would like, schools they could be accepted at, and schools that would present them with inciting financial aid packages; however, I realized that students had no understanding of what school X, Y or Z was or had to offer be- cause they were focused on their familiarity with schools within the state of Georgia. Many knew of other schools, but their knowledge of schools across the conti nental US was limited. I knew that I needed to ensure that students understood their options, not just because of the education they would receive, but also because of the variance that exists when considering contexts and geography. I then decided to plan the first of my annual college tour which I named the “Bridge2College Tour”. The first college tour travelled across Georgia, Florida, Ala- bama, Tennessee, and South Carolina. We visited 14 schools – a mix of public state, private, Bridging the Experience to College Akhenaten Hotep Amun @ AchieveMeant Educational Solutions, LLC and HBCUs. Students were excited about seeing schools they read about, saw on television or never knew existed. The stu- dents walked across campuses, visited dorms, classrooms, and spoke with students who were both our tour guides or who we crossed paths with. On our visit to Vanderbilt University, we meet with a student that graduated from Stockbridge High School the year before. During our lunch with Masiray, now a senior at Vanderbilt, I realized that the educational experience that best benefits students is one in which they can connect with others that they know…those they have social relationships with after “school is over”. When students got a chance to see someone they knew hundreds of miles away at college, they knew that they could do the same. I also realized the success of the tour when students understood the similarities, differences, pros and cons between campuses and their related contexts. After our first tour, the students decided that they wanted to travel to the northeast. The second year, we traveled up to Ohio and east towards Niagara Falls. From the falls, we traveled south along the east coast visiting a total of 15 schools. We also visited Cedar Point, Niagara Falls, Times Square in NYC, the national mall and capital in Washington D. C. We also visit- ed three campuses with students from the first tour enrolled as freshmen – all 3 students were and are still on academic, full- ride scholarships. The third year was a very differ- ent experience. Getting to Los Angeles, CA was going to be a challenge by bus, so we had to fly. Everything went smoothly! We traveled by bus from Los Angeles, CA up to Seattle, WA and saw a total of 16 schools last September. The big difference was touring schools that focus on the computer graphics, anima- tion, special effects, and gaming industries like Gnomon in LA, the Academy of Art in San Fran- cisco, and Digi-Pen up in Seattle. While out West, we also visited the Google and Apple Headquar- ters, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Red Woods National Park in Northern California. This tour was beyond special because many of the students were now seniors and travelled with me on all 3 tours. This was their last hay-ride and then they were set to ride off into the sunset until I planned a tour to visit them. The fourth tour will fly out to Tulsa, OK and visit 16 schools across Oklahoma, Texas, Louisi- ana, Mississippi, and Alabama. This tour, during the third week of September will visit the most number of HBCUs and schools that host college tour alumni. In case you were wondering, the tour for September 2018 is also already planned. Sign-ups will begin at the end of September 2018. Although designed to fall during the September break for students in Henry County, we always have students from other districts travel with us without issue. The Bridge2College Tour, now referred to as B2C Tour, is the flagship service offered by AchieveMeant Educational Solutions. Additionally, I tutor students for classes and stan- dardized tests like the SAT or ACT. I also provide consulting services for students, families, and schools interested in better preparing for the college appli- cation/admission and scholarship process. For more information, please contact me. My name is Hotep – short for Akhenaten Hotep Amun. My contact infor- mation is below. AchieveMeant Educational Solutions [email protected] 678-902-1008 Game Changers Magazine Sep/Oct - 24