Editor, Commonwealth:
I applaud the community coming together last week to generate ideas that could help improve the education system in Greenwood-Leflore County area (“Parents, leaders discuss schools,” Feb. 12).
Over the years, I have been adamant about the importance and need for alternative education for at-risk students. I have even spoken to higher powers about creating a program that provides in-depth training for vocational, military and law-enforcement skills for our hands-on-learning students, who are not inspired by traditional learning methods.
Statistics have shown people who have received vocational training are more likely to obtain and maintain employment as to people who go to four-year colleges and obtain a degree. It also shows a significant increase in schools’ test scores.
It is sad to say vocational training is overlooked, underappreciated and vastly underfunded. Greenwood City Council President Ronnie Stevenson stated a good suggestion for the funding of the program. Throughout history, the church has always been the foundation for significant changes in society. However, the church has become hesitant (and it has the right to be) to aid with the change due to the government’s wish to pick and choose when and how it wants the help of the church. Every entity needs to be involved, whether it’s a church (no matter the denomination), an organization or a kind-hearted donor.
Another suggestion is to use the program skills to beautify the community in such forms as renovating dilapidated and outdated homes and buildings, providing haircuts and styling for the homeless and less fortunate, and so forth. While doing so, the city can create how-to/reality YouTube shows of the program at work. With the talents of the Marcus Wests and Dash Browns of the world, this can be accomplished.
The success of the program and the energy the show would generate would catch the eye of major corporate businesses, which would be inclined to sponsor the program in exchange for advertising.
The city is making strides in the right direction. Let’s see through to the very end.
Ken Cox
Greenwood
