WHY Become a Du Bois Scholar? Why would anyone in his or her right mind agree to wake up and get out of bed early on Saturday mornings, when he or she could be sleeping? That's what W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars agree to do 20 times a year, so they can get to the Network by 10:00 am. There are a wide variety of reasons why Du Bois Scholars are willing to make this sacrifice. Perhaps the most powerful one is the other Du Bois Scholars. The Network is a unique community of high-achieving African-American scholars, athletes, actors, singers, dancers, musicians, writers and scientists from high schools and communities across metropolitan Atlanta. Sure, you could spend days on MySpace or Face Book, looking for other students like you - students with a real commitment to excellence in the classroom, in their extra-curricular activities and to lending a hand. Or you could apply to join the Network and find them sitting next to you 20 Saturday mornings during the school year. Once you get to Network meetings, you'll find a second reason why getting up on Saturday morning isn't so bad, after all: 120 minutes of intellectual stimulation, new people, new experiences, previews of what life will be like when you get to college, and fun. The Network offers high value field trips and activities to local radio stations to meet djs, to Phillips Arena for a visit to the Hawks' locker room and a backstage view of how events are put together, to Hammonds House for a session with local artists and photographers, to the High Museum to see the quilts from Gees Bend, and to other local attractions; a lecture series held on Atlanta college campuses, presented by leading African-American professors who volunteer as faculty, opportunities to be in discussion with local and national leaders, mentoring by top performing undergraduate students who intern as Du Bois Fellows in the Network; and prizes for scholarship and service. Through our Step Up program, you'll work with middle school students to help them learn something you already know - that's it feels good to achieve at a high level, that exceeding in school is the "blackest", most important thing they can do. Du Bois Scholars are prepared for leadership and college life while acquiring valuable community service hours. Du Bois Scholars receive a book stipend to offset the cost of books and letters of recommendation from the W.E.B. Du Bois Society to admissions directors at the colleges to which they apply. We can't guarantee that these letters will get you into the colleges of your choice, but we do promise to do everything we can to assure admissions offices that Du Bois Scholars are exactly the kinds of students they're looking for - students with a real commitment to excellence in everything they do. And there's a final payoff. By joining the Network, Du Bois Scholars become lifelong champions for educational opportunity. |
