Alonna Gardner, left, and Leonia Barber place a new rug on the floor of the Brainerd Recreation Center’s reading room Wednesday as part of their On Point volunteer work for United Way while Elizabeth Tallman, top left, director of graduation initiatives for United Way, watches. Five students from Brainerd High School volunteer each week at the center to help younger students stay on track for graduation.Graduating high school is a challenge for Desiree Brown, but the 18-year-old senior is determined to reach her goal and help younger children as she does it.
“Wake up on time, get to class on time. Every day,” she said. “It’s hard, but you have got to graduate.”
Brown is among five Brainerd High School students from Graduation On Point making the United Way Reading Center at Brainerd more inviting and inspirational for younger readers.
On Point, a Chattanooga-based youth development organization, is partnering with United Way’s Reading Center to upgrade the center. They’ve provided lots of colorful beanbag chairs, a United States map rug and lots of banners encouraging children to imagine their graduation. The United Way provided books for the reading center and Elizabeth Tallman, United Way’s Graduation Initiative director, mentors the students.
Every summer the United Way selects books from school reading lists to stock the shelves at its 20 reading centers. Brainerd students will help select books for the Brainerd Youth and Family Development Center this year, Tallman said.
Dr. Mary Rausch, a Brainerd guidance counselor and community partnership coordinator for On Point, encouraged Brown and the other students to fix up the center. The students had ideas about how to do it.
Rausch said the project benefits the high school students and younger readers.
“Research says students connected to their community and engaged in service learning are more likely to graduate,” she said. “And if children begin to read today, they will be on the path to graduate tomorrow.”
The counselor also cites research stating that youth who can name three adults outside of their family who are apart of their support system are more likely to graduate and reach their goals.
Tallman said she wants to have an impact on the students she works with at the reading center.
“My goal is to encourage them through any struggles that they have and that they know they can be successful,” she said.
Brainerd High School’s graduation rate is at 65.2 percent, compared to the state average of 87.2 percent.
Graduation is not a goal Brown takes lightly. She has six classes, including personal finance and culinary arts. English is a struggle because of the research involved, but quitting is not an option, she said.
Her plan is to follow her mother, a nurse’s assistant. But eventually Brown wants to be a nurse.
“I have to keep pushing,” Brown said.
Seventeen-year-old senior Leonia Barber stood on a sofa hanging a banner while Delicia Brown looked for tape.
“The way society is now, you can’t even get a job without a diploma,” Delicia said.
Contact Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 757-6431.