Oct 17, 2009 8:30 pm US/Central
College-Bound Youths Get Help
Mayor Daley Urges Teens To Continue Their Education, At Annual Academic Fair
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Several youths turned out Saturday for a college fair sponsored by 100 Black Men of Chicago.
CBS
Thousands of teenagers from Chicago, the suburbs and other parts of the Midwest got up early Saturday morning and headed to the fair.
It was no fun and games for them, though. It was serious business, thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers who want young people to have great success in life.
CBS 2's Jim Williams reports.
In a large room, many young people had conversations they would remember for the rest of their lives.
One hundred and fifty colleges and universities made pitches for their academic programs, and they offered scholarship money as well.
It was 7th Annual College Scholarship Fair hosted by the group
100 Black Men of Chicago.
Mayor Daley offered a pep talk.
"The success in life is the quality of education you receive," he said. "This is a helping hand. Take advantage of it because you need education to succeed in life."
The 100 Black Man group has been trying to help young people succeed since it started in Chicago 15 years ago.
The tragedies like the beating death of a Fenger High School student and gang fights in Uptown have captured enormous attention recently. But Daley urged news organizations to focus on stories like the college fair as well -- high-school students, many from the inner city, who are seeking opportunities.
"This is an organization that we should see on TV, on the news, everyday, talking about the good things that young people are doing on a daily basis," he said.
100 Black Men says since it started the college fair seven years ago, $5 million in scholarships have been awarded.
"The greatest gift anyone can give to a child is a quality education," Daley said. "When you have that, you have independence -- you have the tools for life."
Some students were admitted to colleges on the spot. They had to have their high school transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, personal essays and letters of recommendation.
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