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NEW ORLEANS — Often young people make the news when they do something wrong, but now we shine a spotlight on those who are doing something very right, and the men who decided they wanted to devote their lives to rewarding excellence.
Leonard Kelly and Jackyron Newman are about to surprise a senior citizen in the Harmony Oaks community with love and a Thanksgiving meal.
But the main focus of the two men is making sure young students get rewards and opportunities for hard work and excellence.
“We understand what goes on in the community,” said Leonard Kelly, co-founder of Step Up Aim High. “We try to impact any way we can. It’s a mission for us, so any way that we can help any young man or any young woman to be successful, have options, that’s our job and our duty.”
So, this school dean and marketing entrepreneur launched Step Up Aim High, a nonprofit to give deserving students a scholarship to use for college and graduate level educations at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“They are so grateful especially, the parents,” said Jackyron Newman, co-founder of Step Up Aim High. “The parents are the ones who are bearing the brunt of the finances, and they’re in tears. They are literally in tears,” he said.
They’ve given eight students $1,000 each. Carrington Hall is one of them. He’s now getting his Ph.D. in public policy and urban affairs at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge.
“I grew up in a single-family household for the vast majority of my early childhood”, said Carrington Hall. “And so this scholarship helped in a tremendous way, not only myself but my parents, my mom, my grandmother who sacrificed so much,” he said.
Carrington was able to use the funds to stay on campus.
“When marching in Southern University’s band, we spend long hours, mornings, nights putting in countless effort. I can get up early for classes and then to be able to stay late for practice on campus,” said Hall.
Jean-Paul Willard is another beneficiary of Step Up Aim High.
“I used it for books, and I used it for a school bag. So it, it definitely helped me out, instead of coming completely out of pocket for everything,” said Willard.
He gets his diploma next week for his master’s degree in public health, with a focus in epidemiology from Jackson State. Now he wants to help those with a common, chronic health problem.
“I kind of want to stay at the Diabetes Foundation,” Willard said about the place he is doing an internship. So, fingers crossed for that and prayers up so.”
Step Up Aim High also puts on career fairs to show students they have options in life. And they have school give-back days with free haircuts for young children.
“This year we’re expanding to not just college, but vocational programs as well,” said Newman. “If you’re great with your hands and you want to do plumbing. You may be an actor,” he said.
Education may cost in the short run, but in the long run, it pays people back with successful futures.
“It’s always heart feeling when you could see a young man or young woman smile because of the hard work that they put in and they receiving something for it,” said Kelly.
Step Up Aim High would like to have a bigger impact in the community.
We have several links with this story on how you or your company can donate, or apply for a scholarship, and about a basketball fundraiser coming up next spring.
Beginning Jan. 12 on the website, there will be an application for students to apply and write an essay for a scholarship. The awards will be announced in March.
Donation Options
Contact information:
StepUpAimHigh.org
Facebook & IG: @stepupaimhigh
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