Soaring with Hope

For the 2017- 2018 school year, juniors Bria Gilmore and Kincaid Johnson decided to partner with Hope Center to raise money for their after-school program. The two are a part of the student-based organization, DECA a business marketing competition that focuses on educating students about various aspects of marketing, entrepreneurship in business, finance and especially for Gilmore and Kincaid, hospitality. The community service project Kincaid and Gilmore are working on through DECA is called, “Soaring with Hope.”

DECA offers a community service category to all its members and has particular rules to follow when carrying through with the project in order for it to be eligible for the competition. Members must serve a business in the community, write it up and examine what one plans to achieve. Overall, “It is most important to get your school and community involved,” Johnson said.
“Soaring with Hope specifically, we’re partnering with the Hope Center,” Gilmore said. The Hope Center is a place for inner-city children and young adults to go as a safe place. A place where they can do their homework, have access to sports clubs for all ages, and be exposed to several different career paths weekly. “I chose the Hope Center because I went there as a kid with Salem Baptist Church and it just had a positive impact on my life. I feel like what they are doing is a really good thing,” Gilmore said. The point is to raise money for the Hope Center’s after school program. “They have a really good job management program where they go through this academy and in the end, they help them find a job,” Gilmore said.

Johnson and Gilmore have tried to move the project along with raising money through Central related activities. Throughout the home football games, Johnson and Gilmore sold merchandise that correlated with specific themes for dollar amounts that contribute to the proceeds. This past Halloween, they sold ‘boo-grams’ which were pumpkin shaped notes with a lollipop stuck on the back of them for people to send to their friends and favorite teachers at Central. To spread the word, they put their business card on the back of each boo-gram. This made more people and the administration aware of the hard work both Johnson and Gilmore have dedicated to Soaring with Hope.

Their biggest (largest) challenge has been raising more awareness and getting their goal to fellow students. They wanted to truly engage in what is the heart of DECA: the community oriented aspect. “We just need more people to get the word out so people can see what we’re about and the things we are going to,” Gilmore said.
“The Hope Center is also in Omaha and in Fremont so we really wanted to focus on a community organization rather than an organization that’s all around the country, so we can help build up our community,” Johnson and Gilmore stated.

Neither student could have carried out the project as well as they have without one another. They have a genuine respect toward their partnership and value the skills they individually bring to the table to consult as one. “Kincaid [Johnson] has a lot strength in organization, creative ideas and getting things started. I really appreciate that,” Gilmore said. Partnership has led them to great success and they look forward to progressing into senior year. “Bria [Gilmore] is really good at getting everyone involved and making sure everyone is following that path. She is very responsible and keeps motivating us even if we’re going through a rough path,” Johnson stated. Gilmore is aware of the traits they possess and how it blends together saying, “We all have different traits that make the project great.”

Some of their goals include: raising awareness for inner-city children, promoting financial literacy and buy 12 iPads valued at $500 per tablet.
But most importantly, Hope Week is approaching. It’s where the girls try and get businesses and churches involved to ask for their congregation or customers to give to their cause for an entire week. Whether it is less than a dollar, only a dollar or more, all is appreciated. The official name is just Hope Week.

As Johnson and Gilmore further dedicate their time and effort to the Hope Center, as seniors, the girls plan to learn from their mistakes this time around and continue to complete volunteer projects while simultaneously gaining hands-on experience.