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From Low GPA to HBCU (With Great Strides in Between)

When Kirk first came to Project Ready, a program initiative of Zones of Hope, two years ago, he was a High School sophomore with a 1.9 GPA. His poor grades were attributable to something that so many of our students experience—a lack of awareness about the way that transcripts frame a college application.

In Project Ready, Kirk really began to shine. He attended meetings regularly and received coaching services from our department of career development. Career coaches helped him to create a resume, practice his interview skills, and land a job at a local grocery store that is a community partner. Maintaining a part-time job has helped Kirk to responsibly budget his time.

College, which had once just been a dot on the horizon, is now close enough to touch. And he has. In the summer of 2015, Project Ready took our rising seniors on a college tour. With the guidance of our academic counselors, Kirk began to research the history and impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He decided to apply to Howard University, Morehouse College, and Kentucky State University. With diligence, patience, and more than a little charm, Kirk managed to raise his GPA to a 3.5 and was accepted to Morehouse College.

Kirk’s story is just one of many that demonstrates how exposure and opportunity can spark the potential of our youth. Kirk is a freshman journalism major at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga.