Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008

Future students get lesson about education

Conference combines college info with black history, personal stories

Undeterred by foul weather, scores of students made the trek to Modesto Junior College's West Campus on Saturday for a daylong education conference that covered everything from what it takes to get into college to character development.

The college hosted the African-American Education Conference & Teen Summit at the Mary Stuart Rogers Student Learning Center in Modesto.

Held annually since 1988, the conference is designed to help students prepare for and face the challenges of getting an education. The theme of this year's event was "My Space: The Next Generation of Leaders."

Students from schools throughout Stanislaus County heard speakers and peers discuss topics that included college admission requirements, how to apply for financial aid and career options. But they also got the chance to learn a bit of black history and heard some personal stories of self-motivation and determination.

Ebony Humphrey of Modesto attended the conference with her three sons: Anthony, 13, Asanti, 9, and Azaan, 2. The 31-year-old mom said she brought her boys so they could be exposed to positive goings-on in the community and "to hear some good brothers and sisters" speak on important issues such as education.

One of those speakers was Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte. A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law, Harbin-Forte was the first black woman to serve as dean of the California Judicial College and the first woman to serve as the presiding judge of the Alameda County Juvenile Court.

Harbin-Forte spoke on the importance of getting a good education. "Education is the way out of poverty and despair," she said. "One's race should never be a limitation. You must learn that hard work and luck go hand in hand."

During her keynote address, Harbin-Forte, who wore her black judicial robe during her speech, shared her personal tale of motivation and talked about the encouragement she received, particularly from a teacher who insisted that she "excel, achieve and strive to be the best student" she could.

After her speech, Harbin-Forte lauded conference organizers' efforts to "empower and inspire" students.

"Sometimes our young people get disenchanted," she said. "They should not let any hardship hamper their goal. All it takes is hard work and commitment."

Rudy Garcia, a 16-year-old Ceres High School sophomore, heard about the event in school and attended because he wants to attend college after he graduates. He said he is considering going to the University of California at Davis to study computer engineering.

Johansen High School freshman Lauren Grayson, who is considering studying law, said the information she heard "gave me even more of an idea on how I can get to college."

The event ended with a teen summit that discussed the pros and cons of the social networking Web site My Space. The summit was moderated by Modesto attorney Jesse Alexander III and radio DJ Amanda King, who co-hosts FM radio station KWIN's morning show.

Bee staff writer Donna Birch can be reached at dbirch@modbee.com or 578-2309.