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Spring Initiative Kids lede

Faces of the Delta's Future

January 15, 2020
By creating opportunity for youth, a region’s potential grows.

“The youth are the opportunity. They have passions and visions and hopes for the future. They have so much potential. We want to foster that and help that grow.” Ben Lewis, Meraki Roasting Company, Clarksdale, Mississippi.

We couldn’t agree more. In our Stories from the Delta series, we’ve featured the people and organizations the foundation works with to create opportunity and improve quality of life in the Delta region of Mississippi and Arkansas. Through the foundation’s Home Region program, we’re committed to engaging and developing youth so they can reach their full potential.

We draw inspiration from Ben, who runs a career readiness program for young adults hoping to break the cycle of generational poverty in the Delta. His commitment is shared by fellow residents like Mississippi River guide Mark Peoples, school founder Amanda Johnson and after-school educators like Anja Thiessen of Spring Initiative, who aims to “to empower young people to beat the odds, access the opportunities that they deserve, and build successful and happy lives for themselves.”

Every day, the community organizations we work with see the optimism in the faces of the kids they serve. We see it, too, and asked students at Spring Initiative to share their dreams for the future with us:

“What I want to be is an artist!!!!!”
Jermiah Smith
Spring Initiative Kids. Jermiah Smith
Jermiah Smith: “What I want to be is an artist!!!!!”

"I want to be a math teacher when I grow up."
Jaleigha Williams
Spring Initiative Kids. Jaleigha Williams
Jaleigha Williams: “I want to be a math teacher when I grow up.”

“I want to be a policeman, a doctor, or an NFL player.”
Samillion Goodman
Spring Initiative Kids. Samillion Goodman
Samillion Goodman: “I want to be a policeman, a doctor, or an NFL player.”

“I want to be a lawyer when I grow up.”
Diamond Taylor
Spring Initiative Kids. Diamond Taylor
Diamond Taylor: “I want to be a lawyer when I grow up.”

“I want to be a lawyer/millionaire.”
Chermon McNeal
Spring Initiative Kids. Chermon McNeal
Chermon McNeal: “I want to be a lawyer/millionaire.”

"I want to be a pro basketball player when I grow up."
Charles Allen, Jr.
Spring Initiative Kids. Charles Allen Jr.
Charles Allen Jr.: “I want to be a pro basketball player when I grow up.”

“I want to be a doctor when I grow up.”
Chanel “Coco” Jackson
Spring Initiative Kids. Chanel “Coco” Jackson
Chanel “Coco” Jackson: “I want to be a doctor when I grow up.”

“I want to be a police officer when I grow up.”
Dinero Brown
Spring Initiative Kids. Dinero Brown
Dinero Brown: “I want to be a police officer when I grow up.”

“I want to be in the NFL. My backup plan is to be an engineer.”
Tarvis Gaines
Spring Initiative. Tarvis Gaines
Tarvis Gaines: “I want to be in the NFL. My backup plan is to be an engineer.”

Stories from the Delta honors the people and organizations committed to creating opportunity and improving quality of life in the Delta region of Mississippi and Arkansas.
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