Mrs. DeJoria's Afterschool Giving Center
Mrs. DeJoria’s Afterschool Giving Center came about when we received an essay from 11-year-old Roger B., a fifth-grade student at Atwater Elementary School in Los Angeles. His teacher, Mrs. Elston, sent us his essay in which Roger felt a learning room next to the school library would be a good place for kids to spend their time after school, rather than in the library (which was closed) or on the playground or, God forbid, on the streets. It would be a place where kids with no other place to go can study their favorite subject or engage in a group activity. But that’s not all.
Roger brought to our attention a man named John Paul DeJoria, a former student at Atwater, who as a child was in foster care during the week and had nowhere to go after school. One day, during the Christmas season, John’s mother gave John (who was 6 years old at the time) and his older brother a dime and told them to put it in the Salvation Army bucket. Even with extremely limited funds, Mrs. DeJoria instilled in her children that there are always people less fortunate. Remarkably, this happened in 1950, when a dime could purchase two soda pops and three candy bars. John’s mother created a monster, so to speak –- a giving monster –- by teaching her sons at an early and impressionable age that “success not shared is failure.”
Years later, as a young adult, John Paul found himself homeless for two years, but ended up a very successful businessman and devoted much of his time to social causes such as organic farming. In fact, Mr. DeJoria sponsored Atwater’s organic farm at the school, where students learn to grow their own healthy food. But no matter his financial circumstance at any time of his life, John Paul always gave a portion of his money away.
Roger’s essay really floored us. An afterschool learning center for kids with nowhere to go; young students who perhaps find themselves in difficult circumstances at home will now have a place to learn and grow in a family-like environment. Moreover, the focus of this afterschool study center is the concept of giving to others and putting that concept into practice. Teaching young students with next to nothing the importance of generosity –- as if Mrs. DeJoria were right there in the room. We said, let’s try it!
Following renovation, which is now underway, the first of these afterschool giving centers is set to open at 38th Street and Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles and will focus on people like John Paul DeJoria who have gone from hard times, including homelessness, to successful, happy and productive lives. Students can choose a person who inspires them, learn about them, and create a giving project around their area of interest. These afterschool giving centers keep kids off the streets and put them in a fun environment where they design their own road map for a successful future by focusing on helping others. How do they do that? By modeling those who did...thus, Mrs. DeJoria’s Afterschool Giving Center was born!
Our plan is to expand these centers to major cities around the U.S. There’s nothing better for a child than to grow up and feel they are valued by those around them, and who think of others as much as themselves. According to Dr. Jack Share, a renowned child psychologist, “...poverty can kill a child’s self-worth for life, even if that child goes on to be successful. The act of giving to another, especially when the giver has very limited funds, can enhance that giver’s self-worth and social development more than anything.” Dropping a dime in a Salvation Army bucket works as well today as it did in 1950 when John Paul and his brother discovered that secret, thanks to a very wise mom.
MyGlobalClassroom will continue to hold essay contests and create additional learning and giving centers based upon them. And like all the rest of our programs, projects completed at our learning and giving centers will be available via the worldwide web.
