ARHS students learn about HBCU tour
On February 27, 2024, a presentation featuring Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) was hosted in the ARHS library. This presentation was led by the director of the Community Leaders United by Overcoming Hardships (CLUBOH) Ty Ward, and by Ellisha Walker, Amherst Town Councilor At Large.
This presentation aimed to make students of ARHS aware of the HBCU tour that took place April 15-20, 2024, allowing students to visit and tour eight HBCUs down south.
“I am super glad that someone came in and talked about HBCUs at the high school,” said Deidre Cuffee-Gray, the ARHS College and Career Advisor. “This high school does not always get nice opportunities like this, specifically for students of color, and I want our students to be exposed to HBCUs.”
Cuffee-Gray also has a lot of experiences with HBCUs. “I had many siblings, 5 out of 7 of them, who attended an HBCU,” she said. “In my family they have played a big role.”
She mentioned that being in a historically Black learning environment can have a profound effect. “There’s a lot to be said [about the] windows, mirrors, and doors [effect],” she said. “It is this idea that students should be able to see people who look like themselves [looking back at them], up in front of the classroom, or in their classes. And they should be able to walk through doors that bring them to communities that they might not have been aware of.”
At this event, Ward and Walker said it was their third annual HBCU tour. They also shared information about the program CLUBOH for the Amherst Community, which provides holistic career development workshops in Amherst, and they invited high schoolers to their annual HBCU tours in collaboration with a group called Citizens of the World.
They also shared lots of information about the background history of HBCU’s and videos of the other two tours they did in the past. “Our intention was to inform our BIPOC youth about the importance of attending an HBCU and interacting with successful people of color as the majority,” Walker said.
She and Ward said they intend to give 1-5 ARHS students an opportunity to participate in the 3rd Annual HBCU East Coast Tour visiting Cheyney University, Delaware State University, Hampton University, North Carolina A&T, Bennett College, University of D.C., and Howard University.
This tour would be a great opportunity for students of color. “An HBCU tour presents a valuable opportunity for BIPOC youth at ARHS, where the population is predominantly white, for several reasons. It offers exposure to institutions rooted in Black history and culture, provides a great sense of belonging and representation often lacking in predominantly white environments.”
“Visiting HBCUs provides insight into academic programs, campus life, and support systems tailored to the needs of BIPOC students, empowering them to make informed decisions about their future education. An HBCU tour is a transformative experience that broadens horizons, inspires aspirations, and promotes inclusivity for BIPOC youth at ARHS,” said Ward.
