BLUEPRINT TUSCALOOSA PARTNERS WITH VOLUNTEERS TO CREATE SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

Parents, you know how easy can be for your kids to regress during these summer months when it comes to their studies. Thanks to one local initiative, some kids in east Tuscaloosa are staying brushed up on their classroom skills.

It’s called Crescent East Summer Enrichment Program. It started out as an after school homework help initiative,but has evolved into much, much more.
It operates through a local non-profit called Blueprint Tuscaloosa, which aims to provide a blueprint for connecting college campuses to under resourced communities through local churches.

Scotty Hollins is one of the chaplains for the University of Alabama’s football and basketball teams and Executive Director of Blueprint Tuscaloosa.
He’s partnered with volunteers from the area to provide reading and math labs to children in Crescent East Apartments in Holt.

“That’s our goal, to help them become the best versions of themselves,” Hollins told WVUA 23. “We want to see where they are, we know where they need to go. We just devise a plan on how we are going to get them there,” he added.
Each week, Scotty brings in a motivational speaker to inspire and encourage the kids before tutoring begins. Track and field gold medalist Kirani James had the floor on Wednesday.

“Here are some things I had to say yes to,” said James. “To follow instructions, my coaches my teachers…everyone who would be positive and help accomplish that. Things I have to say no to: not being focused and bad friends,” he exclaimed.

How many 16-year -old young men do you know who spend their summer break volunteering? Well, Destin Culpepper does and here’s why.

“I really appreciate the program because it helps out my siblings,” Culpepper told WVUA 23. “I see the kids are growing together and building relationships together. They are enjoying each other, having fun and are coming close. It’s just something big that’s helping this environment,” Culpepper said.

When asked what they favorite part about the summer enrichment program was, some children responded with:

“Some stuff that I don’t know, they are helping me with it and they are helping me move up to another level.”      -Jamarria Rollins | 3rd Grade | Holt Elementary

“They teach us how to be nice and friendly. They teach us how to be polite. It’s good because we get to learn more and more stuff each day.”     – Kaleb Rollins | 5th Grade | Holt Elementary

If you’d like to contribute to Blueprint Tuscaloosa in any way you can reach Scotty Hollins at scottyhollins@gmail.com