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South Side Students Set Goals High in Multi-State College Tour

Forty high school students from Chicago’s South Side will see what their futures can hold as part of a four-day, multi-state bus tour to 10 colleges, departing Chicago on April 17, 2016. The tour, which includes a number of Historically Black Universities, has been made possible by the Black McDonald’s Operators Association (BMOA).

The students are all part of Metropolitan Family Services’ Upward Bound program, which helps first-generation, college-bound students successfully complete high school and enter college. Several participating seniors have already been accepted to schools they are visiting. The group will tour Norfolk State University, Hampton University, the University of Baltimore, Morgan State University, Coppin State University, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, Cheyney University, Ursinus College and Lincoln University.

Students will enjoy a special send off at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 17, 2016 from the McDonald’s located at 95th and Halsted in Chicago, enjoying a meal before launching their bus tour. Media are invited to attend; students, Upward Bound staff and BMOA representatives will be available for interviews.

Highlights of the tour will include students meeting Hampton University President William R. Harvey and Morgan State President David Wilson. Three of the visiting students have been accepted at Hampton, and four have been accepted at Morgan State.

“One of the most powerful things we can do for youth is help them see what they can achieve, and then equip them to make their dreams a reality,” says Audrena Spence, Executive Director of Metropolitan Family Services’ Calumet Center. “We at Metropolitan truly appreciate BMOA making this special opportunity possible for our students.”

About Metropolitan Family Services Calumet Center
Called the “Miracle on 103rd Street,” Metropolitan Family Services Calumet Center has been serving families on Chicago’s far South Side since 1955, with programs ranging from youth leadership and economic development to senior care and violence intervention. Metropolitan Calumet is part of Metropolitan Family Services, which has been “Mpowering” Chicago-area families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities since 1857.