Trip to historic Black colleges and Washington DC a success for Mercer County students

Mar. 6—By GREG JORDAN

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

PRINCETON — High school students recently explored their possible futures when they traveled to Washington D.C. and visited two historically Black colleges and universities.

Thirty-nine students from three Mercer County high schools visited the U.S. Department of Education and two Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Washington and Baltimore areas.

While touring the nation's capitol, the students met with Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Bernadine Futrell at the U.S. Department of Education. Mercer County School Superintendent Edward Toman said he met Futrell about 10 years ago and spoke with her at a conference recently. The topic of Mercer County's high school students came up.

"She said 'this summer, why don't you bring some kids to the Department of Education?'" Toman said Tuesday.

Then another of Toman's friends, Dr. William White, a Bluefield native and former member of the West Virginia Board of Education, visited him and talked to him about taking students on a tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The students left Mercer County on Feb. 29 and returned on March 1. While they were visiting the U.S. Department of Education, Dr. Futrell told her visitors about education's importance, believing in oneself and making a positive impact on the people around them every day.

Futrell encouraged the students to get involved in internships because they provide experience when developing their careers. She also invited her colleagues such as Alexis Holmes, a West Virginia University graduate, who is the executive director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans, to speak with her guests.

Toman said the students later visited Howard University in Washington, which is a leader in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and nationally ranked with social work, business and communications programs. While at the university, the students learned about available programs and degrees as well as applying for admission and financial aid.

After touring Howard University, the students visited the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the Lincoln Memorial, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial as well as the Washington Monument, Toman said.

The tour continued March 1 when the students visited Coppin State University in Baltimore, Md. Coppin was originally founded as a Historically Black teacher's college, but now includes programs such as criminal justice, business, social and behavioral sciences, information technology, nursing, STEM and more.

After the students toured the campus, the university's president, Dr. Anthony Jenkins, met them to answer questions and talk about their futures.

This meeting was facilitated by Dr. White, Toman said.

By the end of the visit, Dr. Jenkins pledged scholarships to two students and a total of nine filled out applications, Dr. White said later.

Mercer County Schools personnel including Kyle Harris at Bluefield Middle School, Beth Henry of Mountain Valley Elementary School, Assistant Principal Don Jones of Bluefield High School, Tank Tunstalle at Glenwood School and Mike Henry of Bluefield High School were "great chaperones" during the tours, Toman said.

"It was a fantastic moment," he said of the tours.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com