Local students learn about historically black colleges
Groton — Norwich Superior Court John M. Newson told 44 high school students on Saturday that he earned more in his first job than his mother earned annually in her lifetime.
He was raised by a single mother in Norwich and misbehaved as a child, he said. But he eventually learned. Newson went from punching other children and getting expelled in second grade to becoming a star high school athlete who earned a full college scholarship to law school.
Regardless of whether the situation or the world is fair, he told the students, "When you control your emotions, you are in control of the situation."
Newson spoke to 44 high school students gathered at the New London Science and Technology Magnet High School for an orientation to prepare for a tour of six historically black colleges.
The tour leaves New London April 10, returns April 15, and will take the students to Howard University, Morgan State University, Hampton University, Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University, and Elizabeth City State University. The trip will also include a tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C.
Newson offered the students his advice about college. “Be on time, be on time, be on time,” he said.
He moved on to social media, urging the teens to watch what they post. He put it this way: if you wouldn’t want your mother or father to see it, don’t post, don’t take a picture, don’t send.
Finally, he told the students that while they can’t control what others do, they can control themselves.
“Treat everybody with the same basic dignity and respect you think you deserve, even if you think they’re not giving it to you,” he said.
Local alumni of historically black colleges also spoke to the group. Kevin Prewitt, who attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, said he wanted to be not a number, but a member of a college.
Even with thousands of students, the dean wanted to meet him, Prewitt said. That “really spoke volumes to me,” he said.
Prewitt works at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Rhode Island and he described how the center and hundreds of other companies attended a job fair at the university. “They literally come to the school to recruit you,” he said.
Sierra Davis attended Three Rivers Community College and Ashford University rather than a historically black college. But she attended Saturday's program because she values the experience of touring historically black colleges. She told the students that she opened her own mentoring business, Creative Potential LLC.
"I determine what my worth is," she said.
Students were selected for the college tour after an application process that included interviews, references and a review of their academic transcripts.
Nia Gethers, 16, said she’s still researching colleges, but she’s already learned a few pointers. After talking to college representatives, she jots down on the back of their business cards where and when she spoke to them. Then she has that information when she talks to them next.
“If they remember where you’re from they can help you out,” said Gethers, a student at Norwich Free Academy.
Elijah Sanchez, also 16 and a student at NFA, said he’s learned about the importance of a good resume.
“When they look at the resume, they can see a little bit of what I’m about,” he said. “They can see if I can contribute to their school.”
d.straszheim@theday.com
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