Dr. Mary Dana Hinton, President of the College of St. Benedict delivered a keynote address focusing on building pathways to hope, to opportunity, and ultimately, to success.
Dr. Hinton also stressed the importance of starting early.
That gap follows many children into elementary school where by first grade, poor children are already, on average, a half grade behind their wealthier peers. Dr. Hinton’s keynote highlighted the importance of the work of organizations like Way to Grow in challenging and reconstructing the many systematic pipelines and pathways of disenfranchisement.
At the Luncheon, we also heard from Shania, a current student at the University of Northwestern and Way to Grow alum. Shania illustrated the importance of starting with hope and following through with hard work and dedication. “My brother went through the program as a young child and he also graduated from it. It was the first time my mom saw one of her kids in a cap and gown and she always tells me how much she will remember that day. And how that day has given her hope to one day see her children in caps and gowns as college graduates. And here I am years later as a freshman at the University of Northwestern two weeks away from finishing my freshman year. So, Mom, thank you for making that phone call to Way to Grow.”
Thank you to our wonderful speakers and to everyone who attended our Spring Luncheon. Together, we are building pathways to greater hope, opportunity, and success for Minneapolis families.
