“You may write me down in history, with your bitter, twisted lies, but still, like dust, I’ll rise.” Maya Angelou’s poetry resonated in the ACCESS meeting that day, becoming yet another Black American figure that students discussed in their organizational meeting. Between hushed whispers and louder exclamations, each student shared their experiences as a Black student.
As college application deadlines approach, Achieving Community Culture through Empowerment, Support, and Self-Advocacy (ACCESS), an organization led by counselor DeAngelo Freeman, is providing Black students with a variety of resources to aid them in the college application process as well as college readiness, including college campus visits, guest speakers and academic support.
“I believe [ACCESS] helped ensure my success by just [giving] support,” senior Maria Kundrouf said. “Sometimes in your [college] essays you don’t really want people that don’t identify with you to read them, since you don’t think they’ll understand, but Mr. Freeman helped with that.I felt comfortable letting him read it since he would be able to see it from my eyes.”
For juniors and underclassmen, ACCESS ensures that students have test preparation resources available, often holding sessions with More Than a Teacher, the standardized test preparation resource, giving students opportunities to be college-ready.
“I am a little nervous, just because they put so much pressure on you for college applications. It’s a little nerve wracking, but to have ACCESS really helps you make sure that you are prepared,” junior Aynalem Rehling said. “VHS is such a big competitive school, and being with people who look like you – the minority at VHS – really helps with education and making sure that you’re college ready and that you know what your next step is.”
ACCESS is a district-affiliated organization, receiving full funding from the school district as part of efforts made by the Office of Educational Access to ensure equitable use of resources and ensure the reduction of academic gaps.
“[ACCESS] definitely [has] great resources because it keeps you informed about college application and post high school plans, which is also really nice, because I know that not a lot of black people go to college or are discouraged from going to college or taking advanced classes,” senior Nylah Berkley said. “But ACCESS really encourages taking high level courses and going to college and getting a good education.”
Historically, African Americans made up smaller percentages of students to pursue higher education in college. However, according to statistics by The Postsecondary National Policy Institute, 36% of the Black population were enrolled in college, and there was a 6% increase in graduate enrollment for the Black population in 2020.
“ACCESS really just made me realize that even though I might be the only one in my class who’s Black, taking these advanced courses, there are other people out there, ” Berkley said. “That [has] helped me to feel more confident in who I am.”
Beyond preparing students for college, ACCESS also provides students the opportunity to explore other career opportunities and life pathways and provides them with the resources to succeed in these.
“Right now, I am not planning on going to college; I plan on going to the Navy,” senior Camila Avila said. “So I have talked [Mr. Freeman] about that, but I still have to see what I want to do. He’s helped me, [and] he’s given me resources on what I should do.”
Counselor DeAngelo Freeman holds an open-door policy for students, allowing them to pop in and ask questions or check in when needed. He also focuses on fostering a community of cultural representation, often discussing themes of racial and cultural identity in ACCESS meetings.
“I think it’s important [to have ACCESS] because it is kind of a big minority of black people. I think each minority should have their own support group,” senior Maria Kundrouf said. “[It’s important] to have people that understand what [you’re] going through. Not everyone understands what it is to be black, and how that can be sometimes difficult.”
According to U.S News, the Black student population at Vandegrift makes up 3.3% of the total population, compared to Hispanic students making up 16.7% of the student body and white students making up 58.8%, making Black students the third smallest minority at school.
“It can be kind of isolating walking down the halls or in your classes where it’s majority white and you feel alone,” Berkley said. “So it’s really nice to have a space where you can be around people who look like you, who’ve gone through similar experiences and just have fun. It’s really helpful especially in communities of color.”
