First Generation College Bound

Newsletters

jmurchison — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:16:45 +0000

Spring 2012 Newsletter

Summer 2011 Newsletter

Spring 2011 Newsletter

2011 Riverfest 5K Results

jmurchison — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:39:28 +0000

The following are award winners, by category, in the 8th annual First Generation College Bound Riverfest 5K Race on Oct. 1, 2011 in Laurel, Md. Below are all runners, with places and times.

Category		Name	HomeTown	Age	Time

Overall Male
	1	Allen, Brian	Laurel, MD	22	17:44.55
	2	Pettit, Brian	Newark, DE	23	18:57.67
	3	Thomas, Ben	Columbia, MD	23	19:09.37
Overall Female
	1	Laseter, Elizabeth	Washington, DC	23	20:24.20
	2	Radcliffe, Rebecca	Warham, NC	19	22:58.21
	3	Rayfield, Kristen	Marietta, GA	19	22:59.09
Masters Male
	1	Fisher, Joseph	Laurel, MD	58	21:28.31
	2	Kirk-Davidoff, Daniel	Columbia, MD	43	21:31.31
	3	Williams, Patrick	Silver Spring, MD	51	22:38.74
Masters Female
	1	Manney, Edith	Columbia, MD	40	28:38.14
	2	Hennes, Kathy	Annapolis, MD	59	28:47.58
	3	Kirk-Davidoff, Heather	Columbia, MD	44	31:23.46
1-13 Male
	1	Bryant, Gerald	Odenton, MD	10	30:30.08
	2	Bedarel, Cameron	Vashon, WA	9	32:17.63
1-13 Female
	1	Kirk-Davidoff, Rosa	Columbia, MD	12	30:58.09
14-19 Female
	1	Mayfield, Camelia	Ashland, OR	19	23:00.62
20-29 Male
	1	Roberts, Andrew	Silver Spring, MD	25	31:33.39
20-29 Female
	1	Sacker, Katie	Catonsville, MD	21	22:59.45
30-39 Male
	1	Foulds, Lance	Laurel, MD	38	27:45.74
30-39 Female
	1	Speight, Mia	Randallstown, MD	30	26:52.44
40-49 Male
	1	Simu, Frank	Laurel, MD	42	28:14.35
40-49 Female
	1	Arbogast, Cynthia	Laurel, MD	47	32:10.53
50-59 Male
	1	Arbelaez, Bill	Columbia, MD	54	22:43.84
50-59 Female
	1	Sacker, Mary Jane	Catonsville, MD	55	31:51.75
60-99 Female
	1	Fisher, Pat	Laurel, MD	63	32:33.84
60-99 Male
	1	Murchison, Joe	Laurel, MD	60	27:38.80

Place	Name	HomeTown	Sex, Age	Time
1	Allen, Brian	Laurel, MD	M22	17:44.55
2	Pettit, Brian	Newark, DE	M23	18:57.67
3	Thomas, Ben	Columbia, MD	M23	19:09.37
4	Laseter, Elizabeth	Washington, DC	F23	20:24.20
5	Fisher, Joseph	Laurel, MD	M58	21:28.31
6	Kirk-Davidoff, Daniel	Columbia, MD	M43	21:31.31
7	Williams, Patrick	Silver Spring, MD	M51	22:38.74
8	Arbelaez, Bill	Columbia, MD	M54	22:43.84
9	Radcliffe, Rebecca	Warham, NC	F19	22:58.21
10	Rayfield, Kristen	Marietta, GA	F19	22:59.09
11	Sacker, Katie	Catonsville, MD	F21	22:59.45
12	Mayfield, Camelia	Ashland, OR	F19	23:00.62
13	Eckberg, Keely	Holmdel, NJ	F20	23:05.54
14	Wurzer, John	Ellicott City, MD	M50	23:25.27
15	Dolan, Corrine	Pittsfield, NH	F17	23:37.81
16	Needham, Emma	Wenham, MA	F18	24:02.32
17	Brinton, John	Laurel, MD	M51	26:37.68
18	Speight, Mia	Randallstown, MD	F30	26:52.44
19	Murchison, Joe	Laurel, MD	M60	27:38.80
20	Foulds, Lance	Laurel, MD	M38	27:45.74
21	Entzminger, Michael	Rockville, MD	M31	28:08.57
22	Aura-Entzminger, Allison	Rockville, MD	F29	28:08.93
23	Simu, Frank	Laurel, MD	M42	28:14.35
24	Hwu, Tim	Columbia, MD	M33	28:15.14
25	Chien, Anna	Columbia, MD	F32	28:23.68
26	Manney, Edith	Columbia, MD	F40	28:38.14
27	Hennes, Kathy L	Annapolis, MD	F59	28:47.58
28	Watson, Don	Laurel, MD	M51	28:54.83
29	Plummer, Melissa	Columbia, MD	F34	28:56.75
30	White, Ken	Silver Spring, MD	M52	29:00.96
31	Hintz, Shelley	Laurel, MD	F30	29:58.12
32	Hintz, John	Laurel, MD	M30	30:03.99
33	Bryant, Gerald	Odenton, MD	M10	30:30.08
34	Pittmon, George	Laurel, MD	M45	30:35.09
35	Kirk-Davidoff, Rosa	Columbia, MD	F12	30:58.09
36	Bedard, Duane	Vashon, WA	M48	31:07.61
37	Shirazy, Khadija	University Park, MD	F24	31:14.26
38	Washington, Dennis	Kettering, MD	M34	31:19.31
39	Kirk-Davidoff, Heather	Columbia, MD	F44	31:23.46
40	Doxzen, Kevin	Ellicott City, MD	M56	31:32.75
41	Doxzen, Erica	Rockville, MD	F27	31:33.06
42	Roberts, Andrew	Silver Spring, MD	M25	31:33.39
43	Heffner, Lee	Laurel, MD	M31	31:33.81
44	Sacker, Mary Jane F	Catonsville, MD	F55	31:51.75
45	Rally, Grace	Spring Lake, NJ	F19	31:52.54
46	Marth, James	Laurel, MD	M65	32:01.41
47	Sheppard, Doreen	Ellicott City, MD	F51	32:10.11
48	Arbogast, Cynthia	Laurel, MD	F47	32:10.53
49	Bedarel, Cameron	Vashon, WA	M9	32:17.63
50	Hall, Brandon	Laurel, MD	M27	32:19.59
51	Fisher, Pat	Laurel, MD	F63	32:33.84
52	Simmons, Angela	Annapolis Jct, MD	F34	32:57.14
53	Kinley, Gwynne	Hyattsville, MD	F42	33:18.14
54	Mills, Alyssa	Laurel, MD	F0	34:33.54
55	Mills, Andrea	Crofton, MD	F23	34:53.91
56	Hyder-Adam, Munira	University Park, MD	F34	35:21.07
57	Jeffers, Rich	Laurel, MD	M47	35:53.01
58	Ogundiyun, Mayowa	triangle, VA	F33	36:27.18
59	Owolabi, Deborah	Boyds, MD	F31	38:47.32
60	Keefe, Alison	Laurel, MD	F51	41:50.48
61	Scalco, Dora	Laurel, MD	F47	41:53.90
62	Cross, Jamila	Odenton, MD	F10	42:52.67
63	Collier, Deborah	Laurel, MD	F40	43:12.75

Students Testify

jmurchison — Tue, 03 May 2011 17:56:39 +0000

Testifying at a Prince George's County Council public hearing were, from left, Joseph Fisher, Paige Telesford, Jasmine Knight, Charmaine Wilson-Jones, Shavon Harding, Matthew Solano and Bi Bi Solano.

Eight First Generation College Bound students and parents joined Executive Director Joseph Fisher in testifying before the Prince George’s County Council on April 26, 2011.

The council was holding a public hearing on how to use its federal 2012 Housing and Community Development Block Grant funds. FGCB has received block grant funding for its Homework Club and College Access programs for more than a decade.

Testifying to the value of FGCB’s programs were high school students Tionna Jacobs (Central High), Matthew Solano (Laurel High), Paige Telesford (Central High), Charmaine Wilson-Jones (Parkdale) and Jasmine Knight (Eleanor Roosevelt). Jasmine has been in FGCB programs since elementary school, when she joined the Kimberly Gardens Homework Club. Others testifying were FGCB alumna Shavon Harding, who graduated from Towson University in 2006; and parents Teresa Smalls and Bi Bi Solano.

Archives

jmurchison — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:55:01 +0000

Spring 2012

Costs Force Parents to Be Involved in College Decisions

If you are a parent of the class of 2013, this message is for you.

As the cost of a college education has increased dramatically over the years, it is critical that you are involved in the college-bound process of your son or daughter who is dreaming of attending college. Due to the cost of a college education as stated by Ric Edelman in his book “The Truth about Money,” you need to be prepared to override your child’s college choice if the cost is too much for your family.

Of course, if you have saved the funds for your son or daughter to attend college or they truly can afford it on their own, this message does not apply to you. Otherwise, you should take the statement seriously.

There is no doubt that parents want to support their son or daughter in attending the college of their choice. But despite their excitement when their child is accepted, many are not prepared for the responsibility when they receive the financial aid award package. This disappointment occurs quite often because they have not understood the process and their child’s academic and financial profile.

Have a dream school and a collegiate back-up plan. In other words, apply to more than one college. Knowing and following through are critical. I am in favor of you supporting your child’s dream of attending college, but not at the expense of your retirement. A Washington Post article on April 2, 2012 noted that many baby boomers are unable to retire due to collegiate loan debt (see “Senior Citizens Continue to Bear Burden of Student Loans”). Most students and parents have no clue of the financial responsibility until after the fact.

I recommend you discuss the following with your son or daughter if they are planning to attend a four-year college:

Cumulative GPA from 9^th to 11^th grades.
SAT and ACT scores if they have taken them. If not, they should take them as soon as possible, especially if they are applying for early decision. For example, the University of Maryland College Park early-decision deadline is Nov 1.
Researching colleges (state and private). I recommend three to five colleges that match their academic and financial profile (GPA and SAT/ACT scores).
College-award funds based on merit (GPA and SAT/ACT scores) and those based on financial need. The formula for making these awards varies from college to college.
The government’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA does not award money. Many people think it does. It calculates an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) – the amount a parent should be able to afford to pay for his or her child’s education. Colleges use the EFC when preparing financial packages for accepted students. It is important to understand most colleges do not have the funds to bridge the financial gap and are not required to bridge it. Only “full need” colleges can fully make up the difference between college cost and your EFC, and obviously it is competitive to get into them. You can review full need colleges at this Dade County Public Schools site.
What you can afford or are willing to pay (many students believe parents have endless pockets).
That community college can be, not the last option, but the affordable option.

We advise all parents and students to review award packages before making their college decision. Therefore having the award package is hand in important. We do not want anyone to return home due to not being able to afford the cost. Parents, this is why your involvement is critical. Be pro-active in the college-bound process. Do not wait until the bill comes due. Remember that, due to the cost, you can make the decision of what college your son or daughter will attend.

Joseph Fisher

Summer 2011

Knocking Down a Multitude of Barriers

It has been 21 years since I founded First Generation College Bound. Its mission from the beginning has been to encourage students from low- and moderate-income families to attend college by making them aware of the academic requirements and available financial resources. The passion and commitment grew due to my personal experience. As of today FGCB has reason to celebrate. After review, our statistics show that 94% of the high school students we worked with were able to attend college (while the national average is 63%).

Achieving this success took a lot of work. Just because the resources are available does not mean students will take advantage of them. Many of us with college backgrounds have faced challenges helping our own children prepare for and go to college. Imagine how challenging this can be for families in which no one has ever achieved it. Many low- and moderate-income parents want their children to attain a college education, but are skeptical and lack the on-going encouragement and support needed. They have experienced many disappointments from people not fulfilling promises to them, and they question our motives. Are we trying to take advantage of their child?

This is not just an idle question. In truth, there are individuals and organizations out there that offer college-access help more from a motivation to make money or to make themselves look good, rather than to truly help the family. This year, FGCB was able to intervene with a family about to pay a college access fee to a for-profit company. This family was willing to sign for it due to the excitement of their first child going to college. What was really disappointing was that they could not afford it, and that was not the company’s concern.

Due to these kinds of situations, it often takes a long time and a lot of patience to gain parents’ trust and show them we are serious about keeping our commitments.

There are other barriers we have to overcome:

The barrier of kids thinking they can get an athletic scholarship to go to college.
The barrier of kids thinking they have to be an A student.
The barrier of kids thinking they are not college material because they are poor test takers.
The barrier of family challenges that can derail a student’s college dreams – unemployment, social problems, sickness or a death in a family.
The barrier of families thinking the money to pay for college is just going to fall in place, and their surprise when they find out exactly what they are responsible for.

Fortunately, I was prepared for these challenges due to my experience growing up in a challenged neighborhood, spiritual training from church, attending Catholic University and receiving training in the 10^th Cycle Teacher Corps program at Morgan State University. I knew I needed to make a long-term commitment to see results for FGCB. I knew it was critical that I demonstrate a caring attitude with integrity, as I walked through low- and moderate-income communities visiting families in their homes, to overcome the college-bound barriers and earn trust.

Now, 21 years later, it is exciting to see the results. Among the 383 FGCB college graduates, special milestones have been achieved in recent years. A young man who started out in our Homework Club in middle school has become chief of staff for a Prince George’s County Council member. Our first dental school graduate completed his degree last year. This year, we had our first law school graduate.

Of course, we are proud of all our graduates. Observing the joy of all our families celebrating the success of their college graduates has been priceless. Look for more celebrations and highlights to come, especially as we keep developing our College Retention program. During the next 20 years FGCB will continue providing support and encourage to our students to attend college and maintain their focus to graduate. Your support has been valued and appreciated. Thanks for helping our students experience college-bound success.

Joseph Fisher

Spring 2011

Admission Can Bring Tough Decisions

“My child has been accepted to college and we are all excited. I have shared the news with relatives, friends, co-workers and many others. However, we just received the financial aid package and I can’t afford the cost for my child to attend. I do not want to disappoint my daughter, so what do I do?”

Here is what parents in this frequent situation can do. First, they need to review their financial situation and then share it with their child. Parents are passionate about their son or daughter attending college, but perhaps can’t afford a loan of $10,000 or more each year. Their child needs to hear this.

Second, dream colleges aren’t the only colleges. A college that is affordable and meets a child’s needs for success can be a better choice. I recall a student who attended a second-choice college because he was not accepted at (and could not afford) his first choice. He did well and attended the first-choice college for graduate school with tuition assistance from his job.

At this college-bound season of excitement and challenges, parents should:

Let their son or daughter know of their excitement over any college acceptances. Hopefully, it is more than one college, and includes a community college
Wait for the financial packages from all the colleges to review affordability, then discuss this with their child. The child may not like the conversation, but the parent has to be realistic and upfront. Most students think parents have endless pockets, especially after listening to their peers.
Once the award packages come, parents should review them and make the best decision based on affordability and chance for student success. The parents should include other awards in the calculation only after confirming them. Most colleges give until May 1 to make a decision (committing after that date puts a student in jeopardy of not getting a room on campus).
If parents find that the cost of a four-year college too expensive, they should set their pride aside and have their child attend a community college. Some community colleges have relationships with four-year colleges that assure tuition discounts to students who finish two years with a 3-plus average.
Parents should stay excited and optimistic about their child’s college-bound future. They should not worry about what others say, but rather stay grounded in the reality of their situations and what they can afford, especially in this challenging economic time. Their child will do the rest with their support and encouragement.

Joseph Fisher

Spring 2010

Is Your Child Serious About College?

Is your child serious about college? Many kids tell their parents they’re going to college, but are they really taking the steps to get there? And are they putting themselves in a position to earn scholarship money to pay for it?

Most first-generation college applicants don’t have money saved up to go to college. If the students do well academically, that really helps. There are colleges across the country that offer merit-based scholarships to students earning at least a 3.0 grade-point average and an SAT test score of 1,000 or higher. Many students think an athletic scholarship is their best shot at getting money for college. This is a misconception. Many more students get accepted to college and receive scholarships because of their grades than because of their accomplishments in sports.

As for the SAT, to score well on this test – which most four-year colleges require for admission – students need to take the PSAT (a practice test for the SAT) in their 9^th-grade year and should begin taking the SAT their 10^th-grade year. However, many first-generation students wait until their senior year to take the SAT due to a fear of being unprepared or because they don’t make it a priority.

Waiting till senior year is a big mistake. If the students get a low score, they may have no time left to take the SAT again and improve. Also, they may lose confidence and begin to think they’re not college ready.

When students take the SAT in their 10^th-grade year, they may get a low score. But chances are, as they develop more familiarity with the test, the students will improve their scores significantly in their junior and senior years.

One of our FGCB participants earned a 2.5 GPA his 10^th-grade year and got a 840 on his SAT. There are colleges that would accept him with that record. But the great thing is that he now has two more years to improve both his grades and his SAT, so that he can win an academic scholarship and have more college admission options.

It is important to note that the SAT does reflect the student’s academic profile, especially in math and reading. The score reflects the level of math the student has taken – I recommend that students take algebra 2/trigonometry or higher – and whether the student is an avid reader or writer. A website of the University System of Maryland, www.Way2GoMaryland.org, provides good overall information about the type of courses your child should take in high school.

Parents, you can help your children get serious about college. Encourage them to strive for a B average or better. Research with your children the deadlines to register for the SAT, and help them sign up starting in the spring of their 10^th-grade year. You can find the deadlines online at the College Board website, www.collegeboard.com.

Finally, give your child a reality check. Have your child write a letter to the admissions office of one or more colleges. Because of cost, include one or more state colleges when requesting the schools’ admissions requirements. Or have the child find the requirements on the colleges’ websites. This will reinforce your conversations about college and your child’s attitude about attending college.

Parents, it is important that you stay involved and informed on the college-bound process. Getting into college needs to be a partnership between you and your child. In my next message, I will provide information concerning financial aid.

Joseph Fisher

Summer 2009

Persevering over the Long Haul

Welcome to this new feature of our newly redesigned website.

Twenty years ago, I created First Generation College Bound based on my personal experience in my community and beyond. I grew up in public housing in Southeast D.C., and didn’t plan to go to college. Fortunately, important influences turned me around.

My dad and mom hadn’t graduated from high school, but they valued education. (My mother earned her high school diploma at the age of 52.) My mother also kept us actively involved in church, and in after-school and community programs that helped provide spiritual development and needed structure. Dad exemplified the value of providing for the family. My older siblings were role models as well. Brothers Johnathan and John, Jr. worked hard and succeeded in the military, and now one has a bachelor’s degree while the other has a Ph.D. in divinity. Sisters Joan and Judith were good students who impressed me by speaking French fluently beginning in junior high school. Even today I am amazed at their ability at that time. Outside the family, my high school track coach, Hubert Gates, was a tremendous influence, urging me to attend college.

Like me in my earlier years, there are many students who feel that they do not have potential to attend college due to the challenges they face at home, at school and in their community. I started FGCB to give these students a second chance – to offer them support and encouragement and make them aware that resources do exist to help them realize that they can continue their education beyond high school if they desire. The fire and passion of that vision continues in me to support their college-bound dream.

I started the program at Kimberly Gardens in Laurel, Maryland, where I made a long-term commitment to the community. Kimberly Gardens continues to be the nucleus of our program. It keeps me grounded in my original mission when I see low- and moderate-income students from this community graduate from high school and head off to college. At a time when many educational support programs last only four to six years, I’m gratified to have honored my commitment to Kimberly Gardens residents to stick with them over the long haul. This year’s college-bound senior from Kimberly Gardens, one of 100 FGCB students, will be attending McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland.

I’m also excited about the continual expansion of the FGCB program, which now entails many communities and three high schools. And I am grateful to our partners and supporters, who have enabled this growth with their time and money and have set the stage for even greater things in the future. And it would be difficult for me to close this letter without thanking my wife, Pat, for her ongoing encouragement and support of my vision, First Generation College Bound.

Welcome to our new website. I look forward to sharing my thoughts each month on how we can continue to make students’ college-bound dreams come true.

Joseph Fisher

2010 Riverfest 5K Race Results

jmurchison — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:04:21 +0000

*Finish*	*Name*	*City*	*Sex, Age*	*Time*
1	Allen, Brian	Laurel, MD	M21	17:17.60
2	Degenhardt, Sheldon	Marriottsville, MD	M45	18:09.40
3	Pettit, Brian	Laurel, MD	M22	18:21.04
4	Sweet, Jay	Laurel, MD	M49	18:53.69
5	Gunter, Jeff	Silver Spring, MD	M41	19:50.65
6	Way, Shannon	Hyattsville, MD	M39	20:25.50
7	Mayfield, Camelia	Ashland, OR	F18	20:51.23
8	Tomsic, Louis	Honolulu, HI	M44	21:46.65
9	Fisher, Joseph	Laurel, Md	M57	22:08.88
10	Mason, Michael	Spencerville, MD	M54	22:11.14
11	Conyngham, Jesse	Ellicott City, MD	M27	22:25.39
12	Shapiro, Lou	Silver Spring, MD	M69	23:02.61
13	Cronan, Madeleine	Denver, CO	F21	23:10.70
14	Kinley, Laura	Jefferson, MD	F19	23:17.34
15	Sacker, Katie	Catonsville, MD	F20	23:19.30
16	Demaree, Marsha	Marriottsville, MD	F45	23:34.15
17	Carr, Jacob	Laurel, MD	M11	24:17.96
18	Crawford, Kathryn	Hummelstown, PA	F19	24:18.45
19	Breen, Jessica	Washington, DC	F18	24:19.54
20	Carr, Matthew	Laurel, MD	M47	24:20.25
21	Eckberg, Keely	Holmdel, NJ	F19	24:22.54
22	Kearney, Nancy	Laurel, MD	F46	24:25.89
23	Adair, Lamont	Fairmont Heights, MD	M16	24:42.54
24	Lima, Jonas	Beltsville, MD	M45	25:02.73
25	Dalgleish, Jamie	Upperco, MD	F19	25:18.65
26	Rayfield, Kristen	Washington, DC	F18	26:03.68
27	McQuinn, Katherine	Mission Viejo, CA	F17	26:04.54
28	Costanbader, Susan	Laurel, MD	F46	26:29.24
29	Brinton, John	Laurel, MD	M50	27:35.76
30	Barnes, Ben	College Park, MD	M35	28:15.25
31	Gunter, Naomi	Silver Spring, MD	F29	28:19.10
32	Jackson, Urainia	Fairmont Heights, MD	F26	28:19.33
33	Short, Jeff	Fort Meade, MD	M51	28:21.18
34	Carr, Joshua	Laurel, MD	M23	28:28.38
35	Hicks, Shakira	Laurel, MD	F24	28:57.55
36	McDowell, Donald	Ellicott City, MD	M50	29:06.03
37	McDowell, Kaitlyn	Charlottesville, VA	F20	29:06.26
38	Hennes, Kathy	Annapolis, MD	F58	29:47.40
39	DeReamer, Phoebe	Upperco, MD	F19	30:02.89
40	Davis, Deborah	Silver Spring, MD	F54	30:04.87
41	Kim, Young	Laurel, MD	M42	30:39.88
42	Lacy, Brooke	College Park, MD	F26	30:59.49
43	Taylor, Ali	Newton, NJ	F18	31:03.71
44	Savoy, Elliott	Laurel, MD	M39	32.37.54
45	Davis, Gregg	Silver Spring, MD	M48	32:38.44
46	Fisher, Pat	Laurel, MD	F62	33:43.54
47	Dalgleish, Kathleen	Upperco, MD	F51	33:49.10
48	Bland, Laurinda	Randallstown, MD	F40	34:17.20
49	Carr, Bonnie	Laurel, MD	F31	34:24.23
50	Quinn, Carrie	Washington, DC	F31	36:33.88
51	Reese, Angel	Randallstown, MD	F39	37:52.53
52	Turner, Kahli	Glenn Dale, MD	F39	37:57.73
53	Irving Dasent, Cydney	Philadelphia, PA	F35	37:58.23
54	Wilson, Rick	Laurel, MD	M53	38:43.65
55	Dixon, Janet	Washington, DC	F47	45:31.87

Race winner Brian Allen poses with FGCB's founder and CEO, Joe Fisher. Allen's time was 17:17.60.

Top woman finisher Camelia Mayfield is congratulated by Joe Fisher.

The race winds through the Historic District of Laurel, Md. The runner in center is Fairmont Heights High School student Lamont Adair.

Joe Fisher talks to the runners before the start.

FGCB Homework Club students and teachers came and cheered on race day.

Runners, supporters and helpers gather at Riverfront Park in Laurel for the race.

Thanks to sponsors

FGCB thanks the following generous sponsors of the 2010 Riverfest 5K:

ASICS
Baltimore/Washington Corridor Chamber Foundation
Berman Enterprises
Bormel, Grice & Huyett, PA
John & Lesley Brinton
City of Laurel
Catholic University Cross Country Track and Field
Joyce Conyngham
DJ’s Auto Specialists
Einstein Bagels
Feet First Sports
Andrew & Kathleen Flott
GDR Group
Giant
Laurel Board of Trade
Laurel Fraternal Order of Police
Laurel Leader
Laurel Police Department
The Magnificent Body
Beth Mazin
Colleen Mazin
McGowan & Cecil, LLC
Modell’s Sporting Goods
Optimal Care Chiropractic
Revere Bank
RPG Digital Print Solutions
Safeway
Security Vault Works
Sherene Sedgwick
Target
Loretta Thompson
Tranzitionz Ma’at Holistic Wellness Center
C. Michael Walls

Current Message

admin — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:50:11 +0000

The Passion Stays Strong

Joseph Fisher, CEO & Founder

This past June I retired from teaching at Harper’s Choice Middle School in the Howard County, Md., public system. At the start of my career I committed to teach for 30 years due to my personal middle school experience. However, due to my love of the profession, I taught 35 years. The joy outweighed the challenges, energizing me to give my best to the young people in my classes. During this time I learned as much from the students and their parents as they learned from me.

My passion for teaching was also motivated by knowing that my generation is responsible for preparing the next generation with the knowledge, skills and character to achieve a quality life for themselves – as well as eventually take care of my generation and future ones. Teaching at the same school for 35 years gave me the opportunity to observe the challenges and success of my students. It also provided the opportunity to receive thanks from former students employed in the Howard County, state and federal governments, as well as businesses throughout the Baltimore-Washington area. I feel truly blessed to have taught at Harper’s Choice, where I worked with wonderful, team-oriented staff and administrators.

I continue to coach the women’s cross country and track teams at my alma mater, Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. This will be my 35^th year as the head women’s cross country and track coach. My passion remains strong for coaching. This fall the team won its first Landmark Conference championship and was voted Sportsmanship Team of the season. I have been committed to CUA since my freshman year, when it provided me the opportunity to live in a special community and the resources to support my education. The college gave me an opportunity I have never taken for granted. The education I received enriched my life, and the friendships have been life-long.

While teaching, coaching and raising a family, I was blessed to have the passion to create First Generation College Bound. Having the support of my wife Pat was critical. Pat has always been my greatest supporter, ever since I shared with her my dream of creating an organization to provide college-bound support to students from low- to moderate-income families. Twenty-three years after starting a homework club and college access program in the Kimberly Gardens community in Laurel, the passion continues strong.

Helping me to maintain my passion and commitment for First Generation College Bound have been a supportive Board of Directors, family, friends and you. With your committed support, we will continue to make students’ college-bound dreams a reality.

Joseph Fisher

Annual Celebration

admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:37:18 +0000

Graduates of 21 high schools were honored at FGCB's 2012 Annual Celebration at the University of Maryland's Riggs Alumni Center.

First Generation College Bound held its 22nd Annual Celebration on June 20, 2012 at the Samuel IV Riggs Alumni Center at the University of Maryland in College Park. Eighty-seven college-bound graduates of five high schools were honored, along with 40 recipients of college bachelor or graduate degrees. All had participated in the FGCB program.

Donors Sponsoring the 2012 Celebration

Eddie and Ruth Britt
Helen Crutchfield
Aimee Falekulo
Elizabeth Anne Helm-Frazier
Ken Garrison
Ronald and Elleen Giles
Robert and Lorraine Levan
Mr. and Mrs. Martin Madden
Colleen and David Mazin
Joseph and Marilyn Murchison
Ronald and Donna Oser
Pam Rockland
D.F. Stephenson

High school graduates surround FGCB founder and CEO Joseph Fisher at the 2012 Annual Celebration.

Annual Celebration Tradition

Each June, FGCB holds a similar Annual Celebration to honor its high school graduates about to enter college and its former FGCB participants who have just earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree from a college or university. This highlight of the year has featured such speakers and emcees as former University of Maryland basketball star Len Elmore, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, Prince George’s State’s Attorneys Alexander Williams and Glenn Ivey, nationally prominent defense attorney Willie Gary, award-winning ABC7/WJLA-TV news anchor Leon Harris and actor Tico Wells, as well as FGCB alumni.