vertabeary's Journal

Yesterday my son and I went to the Historically Black College Expo.  My son has decided that he would like to look at going to Howard University.  He is currently in Jr College after a rough stint in High School.  While we were making the drive to the Convention Center, we had a long talk about his school work etc.  He is a very bright young man that refused to apply himself.  I could not get him to do his homework, could not get his to study for tests.  I preached, I cried, I yelled and could not get him to see what he was doing to his future.  This all started in Jr. high when he was identified as gifted and his teachers wanted him in the Gifted program.  He refused to go and his dad (my ex) backed him up.  After that, he just checked out and his grades went down, down , down.  he told me that that was when he realized that he was bright and decided that he could get by without studying.  Even though I constantly talked to him about his future and consequences of his actions, he just didn't get it until now, his second year in college.  Now he studys and does his homework and is very concious about needing to have good grades.  His first year at college was not his best, and now his second year, he is trying to make up for it.  Taking a couple of classes over and raising his GPA which is now at about a 2.5.  After he talked to the reps at howard and they told him he needed a 3.0 in order to get in, he sees the real consequences for his actions.  He was heartbroken but resolved to do this.  He also needs money to go, Lord knows I don't have $35,000 per year to send him.  When he is motivated, he can follow through and I think going to a Black college would be good for him.  He was raised in a White community all of his life and has alway stood in the wings when I tried to get him involved more in the African-American community.  I want him to see that BOTH communities have value and wonderful things about them.    I was raised much like my son.  We lived in a White neighborhood and a mostly White school.  My parents socialized in the Black community but I did not have many Black friends.  I went to college and really became involved and really enjoyed it and even minor'd in African American History.  I really came in to my own in college.  I hope that my son will have the same experience.