In 1998, three Teach for America teachers in Sunflower County, Mississippi realized that if their students were ever going to have the freedom to choose to pursue an education beyond high school and Sunflower, something had to be done. Yes, their students were going to school, but to close the opportunity gap that existed between their students and their peers in other communities, their students
needed more. So, three teachers, Chris Myers-Asch, Shawn Raymond, and Gregg Costa set about to create a program that would support their students outside of school and create pathways to college so that committed, hard-working teenagers in Sunflower County would one day have the freedom to make choices about their futures. Now, 15 years later, the Sunflower County Freedom Project is thriving, offering students six years of year-round growth and opportunities in rigorous core academic support, arts enrichment, health and fitness training, character development, and educational travel. In 15 years, 100% of the Freedom Fellows that have completed their six-year commitment to the Freedom Project have gone on to and graduated from college. Starting summer 2014, The Meridian Freedom Project will open its doors to offer the same program to Meridian's own committed and hard-working students, grades 6-8. This summer, we will offer six weeks of intensive summer school, with a week of "college life" at Ole Miss, and two opportunities for a no-frills camping trip to major historical monuments across the South. Following the end of our summer session, we will continue with year round programming throughout the week and on Saturdays. We believe that education is the seed of freedom, and we work hard to partner with our schools and community to make that belief a reality. Our Meridian Board of Directors:
Thomas Huebner
Amir Badat
Tra Alford
