(2/7/98 Baltimore AFRO-American Newspaper)
by Congressman Elijah E. Cummings
Too often we read and hear about the lives of young men who have decided not to take advantage of the many opportunities available to them. As a matter of fact, when we are busy doing chores in our homes and hear a television or radio news reporter mention that someone has committed a murder or carjacking in our city, we will often pause and think to ourselves, "I hope it is not a black man who committed the crime." Well, this article is about a young man who you will be glad to know is African-American. He is like many young men who live in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, people like Charles Richards rarely get mentioned during the 6:00 p.m. news because when African-American youngsters are being the very best that they can be, cameras are usually nowhere to be found.
A few nights ago, I called Charles to tell him that he had just received a $l30,000 four year scholarship to one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the world. Not only will he receive this award, but during his college career he will also have all of his medical expenses paid, receive a stipend of $500 per month for 48 months, and be guaranteed a very meaningful and high paying job when he graduates. The United States Naval Academy had accepted this wonderful young man as a member of its Class of 2002.
After I shared the good news with him, he said, "I just cannot believe this is happening to me. I feel so lucky." I responded by telling him that it could not have been luck that brought him to this important point. He and his parents had been planting seeds of hard work and dedication for a long time, and it was now time to begin reaping the harvest.
Charles Richards is seventeen years old. He lives in Randallstown, and is a senior at Milford Mill Academy, where he maintains a 3.94 grade point average. Charles is also the company commander of his school’s ROTC unit. He works at Burger King during the evenings and weekends for $5.15 per hour. It is clear to me that he has a full understanding of what it means to be a black man in America. In spite of these many challenges, he has managed to succeed. I was therefore interested to know what he thought were the keys to his success. I share them with you now.
First, he takes pride in the fact that he has been a long time member of the New Antioch Baptist Church under the direction of Pastor Kenneth L. Barney. Charles said, "The greatest day of my life was June 29, l993. That was the day that I was saved." Second, Charles says that his parents, Yvonne and Arnold Richards, have always been there for him. He spoke about how his dad would do everything in his power to attend the sports events in which Charles participated, and how his mother made it her business to keep him busy. He said that she was always looking for ways to give him new experiences. It was these experiences that pushed him out of his comfort zones so that he could truly grow. Charles told me that on the night that I called to inform him of his scholarship award, he literally jumped on his father and hugged him. He went on to say that because of the way his mother and father had brought him up, and because of all the sacrifices and efforts they had made on his behalf, and that of his younger sister and two brothers, he wanted to simply make them proud of him. Third, Charles stated, "Many of my classmates are much smarter than I am. Because I accept and understand this, I have consistently been determined to work harder." This young man takes his books to his job at Burger King. While on his breaks, he studies and works on his home assignments. Charles says that he tries to use his time wisely, and works hard at staying focused. He is indeed a very special person. There are many other young men and women like Charles. I need your help in finding them.
As a congressman, I am asked to recommend approximately 50 candidates for slots in the various military academies. Because so few of the Seventh Congressional District high school students apply for these opportunities, last year I only made 2 recommendations, and this year 7 students were nominated. That means that over the past 2 years our district lost a total of 91 scholarships valued at $130,000 each. When these scholarships are not used by students in this district, they are passed on to students in other districts throughout the country. To learn more about these opportunities, please call William Cole at 410-719-8777. Please also make plans to attend our Second Annual College Fair, which will take place from 6:00- 8:00 p.m. on February 23, l998 at the Fine Arts Building of the Baltimore City Community College, 2901 Liberty Heights Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland. Representatives from the various military academies, colleges, universities, and financial aid agencies will be available to share information with parents and students.
Most of our children work very hard to create a path for a meaningful future. The opportunity to acquire a military school education and an officer’s commission is a terrible thing to waste. We must all work together to assure that students like Charles Richards are able to reap the harvest of that which they sew.
-The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings represents the 7th Congressional District of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives.