“What people see you do may not be remembered; what they hear you say may be forgotten; but how they feel your intervention in their times of need will forever be remembered.”
― Israelmore Ayivor, Leaders’ Watchwords
Yesterday I watched a young child on the playground next to our dog park lift his small dog and place him on a bench. He wanted to join his pooch and proceeded to try to get on the bench to share a seat. I watched him trying to figure out how to do so. He tried kicking a leg up to no avail. He struggled for quite a while. Eventually, his Dad came over and sunk to one knee offering his son a step up with the other. The boy was delighted!
I was reminded of the many “hands up” I had received in my life – a parent helping to teach me how to drive in the snow offering me the wheel in a horrific snowstorm; a teacher asking questions about a written assignment and handing it back to me for a re-write before grading; generous donations that sent my debate team to a costly national tournament that not all the team members could afford.
Hand UPS are different from handOUTS. They assist rather than enable, they help rather than solve, and they are often the difference between success and failure, between opening a door or closing one.
Our scholarships are a hand up. Parents still pay a portion of tuition for their child to attend school in a country where public schools are free, must figure out or provide transportation, and this year, pay for devices, internet, and often caregivers for younger children learning from home.
As we continue to reach out and connect with our alumni, many of whom have no idea their families received help from CSFB to pay for their Kindergarten to 8th Grade schools, we are learning more about the outcomes of this assistance. Stories way beyond our impressive 97% high school graduation rate and college attendance numbers. Stories about how this bridge to a better education changed lives.
I cannot wait to share these stories with you, but you know them because you had a hand up too. What was yours? Reach out to tell us what someone did to help you along your path – we would love to know.
– Beth Harbinson, Executive Director