A Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. Robinson
Educational Conversations with Scholars in Mind. "Our mission is to empower and uplift scholars pursuing higher education at HBCUs, ensuring they have the resources, support, and opportunities needed for a successful future. Through mentorship, scholarship programs, and community engagement, we strive to create a pathway to excellence, fostering academic achievement, leadership development, and a strong sense of cultural identity. Together, we are building a brighter future for young scholars, strengthening the legacy of HBCUs, and fueling positive change in our communities."
A Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. Robinson
Band Camp, Chemistry, and Choosing Your Own Legacy
Finding your people. Forging your own path. Making history in the hallways of your high school. These are the powerful stories emerging from this year's scholarship competition featuring exceptional students headed to HBCUs across the nation.
Meet Liliana from San Antonio, whose decision to attend Howard University represents a profound search for cultural connection after years in predominantly white and Hispanic schools. Her mother reveals the moment that changed everything: "My daughter was the first one to hang an HBCU flag" in her school's hallways. This simple act of representation speaks volumes about the courage these students embody, often standing alone in their college choices among peers.
Then there's William, consistently ranking in the top three throughout the competition, who comes from what his father proudly calls an "HBCU family." With parents who attended Howard and Alcorn State, William's decision to attend Prairie View A&M shows how this generation honors tradition while charting their own course. His father's perspective is refreshingly supportive: "We've already had our college experience. We wanted him to have his own."
Perhaps most moving is Amari's story, a talented tuba player heading to Bowie State to study education. His mother shares a sobering statistic—less than 2% of teachers are Black males—highlighting how his career choice represents not just personal aspiration but community uplift. As his father notes, "We don't do this for money. We do this to help the community."
What emerges from these conversations is the beautiful intersection of legacy, identity, and purpose driving students toward HBCUs today. Their decisions aren't simply about where to spend four years, but about finding spaces where they can fully embrace all aspects of themselves while preparing to give back to their communities.
Which of these inspiring students will receive the scholarship? Your vote matters! Visit our website to support these exceptional young people as they begin their HBCU journeys and become the next generation of leaders our communities need.
Welcome to a better chance for youth television show with your host, monique Robinson, where we highlight, celebrate and recognize students from all over the country who are doing great things in the classroom, community and athletics. Every student deserves an opportunity, an opportunity for hope and a future. So let's celebrate our students, the next generation of teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs and future leaders. Join us on another incredible segment of A Better Chance for Youth show with your host, monique Robinson.
Speaker 3:Hello, hello and welcome everybody to A Better Chance television show with your host, dr Monique Robinson. Revison myself and welcome to round three now.
Speaker 3:Yesterday we had some amazing families on and they did really good and I love the energy that all our parents bring, because now we can pretty much know where our scholars are getting it from, much know where our scholars are getting it from. Now today I'm actually excited because we are not going very far, Like we're not going to Georgia. We're not in Newark, New Jersey. We're not. I believe the other person was in Conyers, Georgia, yesterday.
Speaker 3:I'm not sure If I'm wrong. I'm sorry, but I know she should be on campus at Fort Valley. Congratulations, hope you have a wonderful year. But today, today, today, today, we are in San Antonio and our scholar coming on. Today she got to take part in the send off. She even got to see, you know, spend time with you. You know. A better chance to hang out, win some games, get some fun stuff. But even though I will say her parents might even agree with me, the young people cheated that day. I'm just gonna name it. But you know we won't hold that against her. But I am super proud of this young lady because in this area, to be determined and have the drive, because in this area, to be determined and have the drive and to also follow through speaks volumes. So all the way from San Antonio, texas, let's welcome our family, our first family kicking off round three, day two Welcome. How are you?
Speaker 7:Hi Good.
Speaker 3:How are you? I can't complain. I was bragging because you know we never really get to talk to people in San Antonio. You know, I could have just came to y'all house and filmed the day. I could have pulled up. But tell us who you are.
Speaker 7:Hi, I'm Liliana Zabela. I'm from San Antonio, Texas, and I will be attending Howard University in the fall, majoring in chemistry on the pre-med track. And these are my lovely parents.
Speaker 5:Hello.
Speaker 6:Hi, I'm Keisha Zepeda.
Speaker 5:I'm Ron Zepeda.
Speaker 6:And we're happy to be here.
Speaker 3:Awesome, awesome. I'm like she's not going to tell us who our parents are. My parents are here, that's all you need to know. Welcome, welcome. We always get excited in round three because we have to know where these lovely brains come from. Like this year's competition, we've been doing this for, I want to say, the last five years, and this year speaks volumes, like for your daughter to make it from top 70 to top 60, top 50, top 40, I think, 35, and now top 20. That speaks volumes. And these are, these are young people from all over, as you probably have noticed, like there's not just kids in san antonio. Even though I get excited, you got to be from Ohio and San Antonio and I get really excited because I'm in both of those areas, like that. So just asking the parents and I've asked every parent this question how is it, or how was the, from start to finish this year, her being a senior and deciding to go to an HBCU? How was that process?
Speaker 6:Oh boy, we knew at the end of last year that she was going to choose an HBCU. It was pretty solidified. She'd made that, um, that decision. We still applied to a few PWIs, but but we knew ultimately it would come down to an HBCU. Which HBCU was the shocker? Um, because we, you know, just like most things, you think you're headed in one direction and then, um, you know, know, that doesn't always happen. So it was the change in school that was more of the surprise. But it's been a journey. It's been a journey and she's worked very, very hard to get to this point and to be recognized in the terms of acceptance from multiple HBCUs. And so, yeah, we've been very, very proud of her, Very proud.
Speaker 5:Extremely proud of her.
Speaker 3:Awesome, awesome, awesome. Now, how do you feel? Because I mean, she's going to DC, I like DC, the food good there, that's why I like to go. How do you feel that will um, culturally, um the hbcu campus? Will will mold her, being from san antonio yeah, yeah, um.
Speaker 6:So of her life she's gone to either predominantly white or predominantly Hispanic school, and you know she is half Hispanic and so it just, I think, just in conversations with her, there's always felt like she was missing something. There was a part of you know something, socially, culturally, that she just wasn't getting fully. And I think that going to an HBCU and finding her niche, finding her clique, finding her people, you know, whatever that looks like there for her, you know, will definitely mold her. You know we are Caribbean and so she already found a Caribbean group, you know, and activities there. So it's so exciting because we just don't have that here. You know, I don't think she'd get that same experience anywhere else but in HBCU, and so I'm excited for her to get to experience that fully, because she's very proud of her roots and so that's going to be exciting for her.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I would agree. She hasn't had that experience so far being around other kids that may not necessarily being around kids that are like her you know what I mean and being from YWLA and being around Hispanic girls that don't necessarily look like her. I think she was looking forward to this opportunity, yeah awesome, awesome.
Speaker 3:Well, I'm excited for you. I've been to howard. I didn't choose howard, but you know I represent all of them, even though mine is, you know. But I am extremely proud of you because I know, in your earlier interview with us you mentioned that experience going to school and not really being exposed to HBCUs and I was like why? But, and that's good, you took a stand. So you already, you know you already went because you took a stand. It's not popular in your class, which you know you already went because you took a stand. That's not popular in your class, which you know it happens. And also, you know, why have you on here I got to mention this, you know, because I'm still kind of bitter that you know the young people cheated at the send-off. We did not.
Speaker 7:Y'all cheated, y'all cheated.
Speaker 5:That's 100% fact you can ask the other team there. Y'all cheated, y'all cheated. Is there a hundred?
Speaker 7:percent fact. You can ask the other team there.
Speaker 3:Y'all cheated. I just had to name that you know. But that experience and I know you know you're about to have a lot of experiences like that you know when you go on campus from day one, freshman week and all the different activities. How did that make you feel just getting a glimpse of it? You know your family also, how you know mom and dad. Did that make you feel at the send-off to see that you have a whole community backing?
Speaker 7:you? Yes, I think it's definitely. It definitely excited me for what's to come. I'm very excited to move in. I'm moving on Saturday and so I'm very excited for Welcome Week. I'm very excited just to see what this year is going to bring for me, as well as the opportunities and the networking that it will also bring, and so just getting like a glimpse of that at the send off was really fun and interesting to see how like in my future could look and it's just it's.
Speaker 6:I know it's gonna be a great experience yeah, and I think an experience like that is kind of what solidified her decision to go to an hbcu. She did a summer um program, an engineering program at um a pwy, and it just so happened that she found this core group of of friends who she's still in contact with today. That gave her like a small insight on what it could look like to attend an HBCU, because there were a group of, you know, other African-American students that were all there for the same thing for excellence, right, and they were there for to learn and they were there to just grow socially. And so, being a part of that group, she came back and we haven't stopped hearing about that experience and I think for her, what we thought was one thing again totally changed direction and course for her because she had such a great experience and that solidified her decision to go to an HBCU.
Speaker 3:Totally, totally love it. Now, before we go to commercial break, I always like to give people something to think about why we go on break. When we come back from this commercial, I want you to tell me because I can't vote. The young people know I can't vote because if it was up to me, everybody would get something, even if I had to break it down.
Speaker 3:everybody get a dollar somebody gonna get something, but when we come back, I want you to tell us why our viewing audience and listening audience should vote for Liliana right after this. Yeah.
Speaker 10:Celebrate the excellence of HBCUs with the HBCU Trivia Game. This board game provides an exciting and educational way to learn about notable alumni, historical events, sports news and more. This trivia game is sure to be a hit and perfect for college-bound youth alumni and the entire family. Don't miss out on this opportunity to support, educate and entertain. Get the HBCU Trivia Game today. Go to hbcutriviagamenet to order welcome back.
Speaker 3:Welcome back. I'm in my own backyard today. I'm so happy that you know we have liliana, somebody to actually get to see the things that we do and participate. And when you get on campus, don't forget to give us your address, because we do send stuff from time to time. Just saying, if you forget and we don't send you nothing it's because you, you know, but we do. We, we like to encourage you because you know our rule in the door out by four. We, you got to, but your major you might be five because you engineer, right, yeah oh, I'm chemistry that's even better, son.
Speaker 3:I know your parents happy because when you get out of college, you're going to take care of them. Look at that.
Speaker 5:Once she gets out, she starts her own business. I just want to be, you know, the IT guy, maybe the janitor or something like that.
Speaker 6:I'll answer phones whatever we need.
Speaker 3:I might need to come there and work to what you need me to do. I'll do the trainings for you. I'm just mad because by the end, somebody gonna have to you know, do the scholarship stuff in terms of myself.
Speaker 3:So, as you know, um liliana, this is a competition. Your parents know it's a competition. It get really intense because lately I don't even know, like I'm not in charge of the leaderboard, all I do is just get the numbers that they send me and I post them. But you have a long way. Last time I looked this week today, you're currently in 10th place. So if the contest ended today, after all parent interviews are shown, you will make the final cut. But we got to keep her here. So Liliana's parents, if you look on the bottom of the screen, growing across the bottom of the screen, tells you how you can vote for any of our contestants. But you know, san antonio, we need y'all to support you know liliana, I think there's only two people from san antonio, even if they make it to the top. She got co-workers coming in and everything. So look on the bottom. Her parents are going to tell us how to vote or why we should vote for Liliana.
Speaker 6:Yeah, so ever since Liliana was about eight or nine, she's very much been into mixing things. Um, we used to have to clear the kitchen table and um set up a bowl for her so that we could um just designate a space to her. She started a, a company around that um time called Think, and she would make natural cleaning products and sell them to our family. That was her company and then that kind of progressed into making and mixing beauty products to natural beauty products. So face masks we would get her like lip gloss kits, and so when we were looking for a middle school for her, we found a school that was STEM focused but it is very competitive Out of the whole city of San Antonio. They only accepted at the time a hundred girls and the application process was very rigorous. She had to test, interview, apply and then they interviewed us as parents just for her to even get into the school. And so she stayed at that school for seven years for middle school, through high school.
Speaker 6:When it came down to the graduating class, many girls had gone their separate ways because it was, it's intense, it's a college prep course I mean, it's a college prep high school and throughout the course of that time she stayed focused on science.
Speaker 6:She made for her science fair project, she made it to the state level competition several times, won many awards, and so I feel like this is what she's destined to do. And in addition to that, as we said earlier, her school doesn't have a lot of girls that look like her or that are interested or in historically, going to an HBCU it's not promoted as much as other schools are. Well, we are proud parents to say that in the hallways of her schools there are college flags hung all over, from the cafeteria to the main hallway to the upstairs, everywhere, and my daughter was the first one to hang an HBCU flag. So she's already making history and we're asking the viewers, the voters, to help her on that journey, to continue making history, and we know that she will. She's done it thus far and she's going to be a great gift to this world and her contributions that she's able to give back in the medical field.
Speaker 3:So Awesome, awesome. Now see, you didn't share that bit of information with me. Your mom had to tell me this was a recent event that just occurred. I mean, like you could have told me that you know that would have, I would have came to visit. Your mom had to tell me this was a recent event that just occurred. You could have told me that I would have came to visit to see that, as much as I advocate in this area, I would have paid to see that.
Speaker 7:I would have shared it with everybody.
Speaker 3:That's good stuff. You're a history maker. I know your parents are extremely proud. That's good stuff. And then you're going to Howard, the Mecca, as they called it.
Speaker 6:Yes, Parents, y'all going to homecoming.
Speaker 7:We're not invited this year. That's not true. That's not true. We are.
Speaker 6:My husband will be attending parent week weekend. He'll be going to the. What is it? The Battle of the HU? The football game Hampton versus Hampton and a half. Yeah, yeah, so maybe next year we'll get on the invite list.
Speaker 3:She don't have to. She don't have to invite you. I'm sorry, what'd you say, sir?
Speaker 5:no, I was saying, she can't do anything if we just show up.
Speaker 3:So right, I think.
Speaker 7:I think that's what we're gonna do he's already trying to come to the game and he's like what section are you sitting in? We?
Speaker 1:need to be in the same section, not that section you're sitting, whatever section you're sitting in you're gonna miss your parents when they drop you off.
Speaker 3:Oh, yes, you well, yes. That whole smile changed I know, I know are you ready? Right now mom and dad are ready to drop her off no, absolutely every day she cries every day, multiple times a day.
Speaker 7:She tells me she's like I've only cried once today.
Speaker 6:I I, I am not ready. She, honestly, she is such a, she's a joy in our house and she's so just helpful and responsible and all the things. And I just, first of all, I have a younger son, so she's leaving me here to be the only female.
Speaker 3:Okay, that's a problem, mom. You can cry all you want, and the distance doesn't help that she's going to be so far away. I know it'll listen.
Speaker 6:I'm very excited for her and I know this is, you know, a great time for her. It's just, it's hard on mom I get it dad how do you?
Speaker 5:feel for sure it's going to be hard on me. I know, uh, I've been trying to hold back the tears, I know once a day we drop her off this weekend and let her go.
Speaker 7:It's gonna be hard yeah, and he's a player too, so I'm surprised she's crying more than him. Yeah, he's normally, normally like boohoo to the kids.
Speaker 6:Yeah, when it comes to the kids, it's always him. So I don't yeah, I just I don't know.
Speaker 3:I'm gonna put y'all on the check on this. Please put us on the ground.
Speaker 5:I don't know, like what is wrong with y'all this year and I just wanted to be not, I only cried when it's about my kids and the dogs, the dog the dogs and the kids dogs.
Speaker 3:The dog, the dogs and the kids, the dogs, my mom and us yeah lord, have mercy.
Speaker 3:Uh, I wish you nothing but the best. Um, guys, please vote for liliana. Like I said, she you know she already making history. She's the first one to put a hbcu flag in her high school in san antonio. I'm really proud of that, super proud that you took a stand and you're going to Howard. I mean Howard, I'm glad I didn't have my other HU parents on here today, so I'm going to have to hear that you know the real HU and all that today.
Speaker 7:The real one.
Speaker 6:Not the other one. Not the other one. Oh, my God Maybe some votes from Hampton alum and supporters as well my cousin, went there, so don't worry, go support.
Speaker 7:We're number one.
Speaker 6:Yeah, my niece just graduated from Hampton, so we will take votes from those supporters as well.
Speaker 3:Lord, have mercy Well again. Thank you for coming. Have mercy well again. Thank you for coming. Um, thank you for even allowing your scholar to participate in our scholarship this year, but this year's class have truly been a jewel, like they have been a jewel now. Liliana, you know my rule if you have friends that you have seen in the competition as well as the send-off link up, it's easier to experience life with people that you have seen in the competition as well as the send-off link up. It's easier to experience life with people that you know. You know a little bit. That's from the same area, even though you're gonna meet a whole lot of new friends that will probably be your family. But, you know, enjoy yourself, be safe. Mom and dan because you said, dan's a cryer too Enjoy, you know, take plenty of pictures so we can share them in the newsletter. And again, like I said, congratulations and vote for Liliana because she's from San Antonio. Thank you, guys.
Speaker 5:Thank you, thank you. Appreciate the opportunity. Thank you To you trivia game.
Speaker 10:Thank you, thank you Appreciate the opportunity. Thank you To you. Trivia game this board game provides an exciting and educational way to learn about notable alumni, historical events, sports news and more. This trivia game is sure to be a hit and perfect for college bound youth, alumni and the entire family. Don't miss out on this opportunity to support, educate and entertain. Get the HBCU trivia game today. Get the HBCU Trivia Game today. Go to HBCU Trivia Game dot net to order.
Speaker 3:Welcome back, welcome back. I am here with a brand new family Now. We was in our backyard a little bit earlier. You know we had somebody from San Antonio, but now we have like a competition fan favorite that has been in like one or two throughout the whole competition. Like I don't know his secret, but maybe we need to do what he's doing because he is consistent and staying in that top. He hasn't been below three, I would say so welcome, tell us who you are, tell us about your family hi, I'm william osby ii.
Speaker 9:Uh, I'll be going to peruvian university, where I'll be majoring in kinesiology and also running track.
Speaker 11:And these are my parents right here I'm william osby and this is my wife pamela, over there awesome, awesome, welcome.
Speaker 3:See my mom named pamela. That's probably why you win Awesome.
Speaker 8:Welcome.
Speaker 3:See my mom named Pamela. That's probably why you win.
Speaker 11:So, but that's awesome. Now, parents what inspired him to want to go to an HBCU? You know that's a great question. Probably had to ask him the real answer, but I will suspect we're an HBCU family. I graduated from Howard, pam graduated from Alcorn State, my mother graduated from Howard, his sister just recently graduated from Howard and she's going back for her master's. So HBCUs have been talked about and lived and intertwined in our lives all his life and so I think it's just something that he's seen. I would hope that he's seen that we are good people and we turned out OK. And you know he's seen our friends and people that we know that have gone to HBCU. So I think all that is kind of laid a foundation, but at the end of the day, it was you know it's still his call what he wanted to do. As you can see, you know he didn't go to one of the schools that we went to. He wants to do his own legacy, which is awesome, but still staying in HBCU family. So we're excited about that.
Speaker 3:Awesome, awesome. Now you know that was going to be my follow-up question. Like you had two choices, you had two. You know, dad got the bison shirt on. You didn't want to go Alcorn. I almost went to Alcorn, though I did.
Speaker 11:Oh yeah, it's Alcorn. Please get it right, because she gets a little.
Speaker 3:It's my accent, though it's my accent. I'll be honest they be getting on me. I will mess the name up. I mean not on purpose, not being disrespectful, but that accent they be like no ma'am, no ma'am, but no, I love that beautiful campus. Actually, I love that campus. I didn't go because it was too far from home for me, but, but you didn't want to go to neither one uh, it's not.
Speaker 9:I didn't want to go to neither one. I think just, uh, like I just wanted to run, I wanted to keep running track and field, and I think, uh, prairie view just gave me the best opportunity to run here and also had my major in kinesiology, and it was also a cheaper option.
Speaker 3:So yeah, smart guy. I told you that's probably why he a fan favorite, because he's so blunt. He's like look, I had a sister that just graduated, now I get it. He's like look, I had a sister that just graduated.
Speaker 3:Now I get it, that's why we need this scholarship man. He's like real talk alum look what's going on. But I mean. Growing up in an HBCU family, you know truly, as long as you stay with one, you can't go wrong. You can't go wrong, and I like that. Your dad touched on that. That is amazing. Now you are majoring in, do you have family that is already majored in that field?
Speaker 9:I don't know. I don't think so. I don't know, I haven't heard of it. I don't think so. How about you? No, no, no, I haven't heard that.
Speaker 3:Now going through this process of I mean, you went through it with his sister Was it different, as a parent, going through it with a boy versus a young man, versus a young lady?
Speaker 9:Mm.
Speaker 3:Uh-oh, I heard the mm, but I don't know.
Speaker 11:You know what? I'll let her answer that question. I'll chime in if needed, but I'll let her answer that question.
Speaker 12:Yeah, it's been a tad bit different. She was how should I say? A bit more self-sufficient. She handled her business like no other Not saying that he doesn't handle his business but she was ahead of the game every step of the way. She already knew where she wanted to go. She knew what she wanted to do, who she wanted to be or what she wanted to be, and it just took a little prodding from him for him to make the decision as to finally make the decision as to where he wanted to go. So, because we had a few options that were there, he was leaning toward one and all of a sudden he changed his mind. But we eventually got there. So that was just the difference between the two.
Speaker 3:That's fair. That's fair Because I'm like I wonder. Because we had a parent on yesterday and she was saying she had twins. I was like, oh my God, you got twins. I was like they going to the same school, right, but luckily they're going to the same college. I couldn't imagine you doing double and everything at the same time. That would be.
Speaker 11:It was on the table now Don't?
Speaker 5:get it wrong.
Speaker 3:He was on his way to Howard.
Speaker 11:It was close, it was close.
Speaker 3:Well, I mean, hey, he might end up there for his masters. Yeah, Maybe, maybe.
Speaker 11:Like I said, I think the biggest thing was you know, I tell people and he says it too is that you know he wants to forge his own path, which I think is, you know, really awesome in his own right. So he wanted to stay in hbcu uh, atmosphere or ecosystem and, um, we never forced to, you know, either one on him. It was. You know he still did the research and figured him out, but, um, you know he wanted to make the choice that was right for him. So we supported him all the way through that course.
Speaker 12:And, at the end of the day, it's his college experience. We've already had ours, so we wanted him to have his own.
Speaker 3:I love it because it's so many parents that get over involved. I'm like, look, let them live their life. We did it, we OK, but I love. I love that now he'd be a prayer. That's not too far. He's not gonna be able to run home, not at all. Love it. Y'all, my favorite parents for the day he's like look you going on campus.
Speaker 3:We gonna tuck and roll and I'm just playing. So I mean, I'm just kidding. I'm not even going to ask y'all this next question because y'all just said that I already know. But I'm going to ask because I know our audience want to know. Now, when is move-in day?
Speaker 9:17th.
Speaker 11:August 17th, between 8 and 12.
Speaker 3:It's a time now.
Speaker 11:He'll be there at 7.30.
Speaker 3:Oh Lord, oh God, I'm sorry. If I had the energy to drive down there, I would help.
Speaker 11:We're going to help him. Get everything out of the car and get it into his room.
Speaker 3:Peace out, no crying.
Speaker 9:No, I won't cry. They probably will cry. He says that now.
Speaker 3:Not how they act in the day. They're like we've been through this already. The sister, Are you the youngest? You like the youngest of all? You the last one? Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 9:I only have a sister.
Speaker 3:They're not crying. I'm not ready, but I'm getting here ready? You not ready at all. Ma'am A little bit.
Speaker 12:I'm getting there. Riali is finally sitting there.
Speaker 3:To me down the street a little bit.
Speaker 12:Oh, we won't be driving down the street. Oh my God.
Speaker 3:I love your parents. They are hilarious.
Speaker 11:They got to grow up sometime. But that's part of the experience, right? Well, I think the other part of it is both of us. Our experience, for college is not a school that was like right up the street from us. So you know, we think of it kind of differently. Like I don't have to, you know, be by my kid, or you know, all the time I, you know, I want them to go, we wanted them to go away, we wanted them to experience.
Speaker 3:And I went from.
Speaker 11:I'm from Los Angeles and I went to DC, so you know.
Speaker 5:You was all over the place.
Speaker 11:So you know, that's the way I thought about it and you know, even though my wife was from Mississippi, it was still further away from where she was and she was most spending time in Chicago. So you know, we are, you know, I think, both of us, since we've been 18, haven't been back home.
Speaker 9:So I understand same all right.
Speaker 3:Hey, I truly, truly get it. I have truly enjoyed you all on here, but I got one more question for you all, I mean, but it seemed to me like I really don't need to answer this question y'all just saying william has been one and two, no less than three, since you know the voting has started, and I'm like nobody in the history of this competition has ever done that.
Speaker 3:Usually they was is one and done but um. What is one and done but um? Hats off to you, though, because you made it from 70 to top 60 all the way down to where we are, top 20, and still, you know, in that one, two or three spot, which speaks volumes, and every time you come on here and give in the essay, you speak with such confidence, and so I'm like he got a good, good stock man. He is not playing and then he was in the Olympics.
Speaker 3:You know he was in the Junior Olympics and that you know you still doing stuff. So I wish you nothing but success. As you, you know, run for PV. You got this. I know you probably don't feel like it right now because you, you know, y'all harder on yourself than anybody most athletes are. But I'm proud of you and I'm quite sure your parents gonna show up at track meets, because that's what parents do.
Speaker 3:They're gonna push you out to go to go to school, though, but they're gonna show up at the day but, um that's it, facts. I get it, but before I let you guys go, why should people continue to vote for William?
Speaker 11:I think the biggest reason is the reason they've already had because you've seen the man that he's becoming, the reason they've already have because you've seen the man that he's becoming. We also spoke a little bit about it earlier. You know it's a challenge for African-American men who want to go to school, want to go to college, want to feel supported, want to, you know, continue their education. And I think it's only you know we need to continue to uplift those models because I think those models also can reach back and help others and be role models for others. So, you know, to continue to support and uplift young men like himself and others who are in the scholarship competition right now.
Speaker 11:You know not to take anything away from our beautiful young ladies, not to take any of the wing away from my beautiful young ladies, um, but I think you know the more we support our men, the more we can kind of get these folks out here, because you know we could talk about it a lot as adults. But the more we get the kids to do the work and talk about it and be out there in front of it can hopefully lead their friends and other friends to to make that decision. That college is, you know, an opportunity, and again we don't. We know it's not for everyone, but we wanna know it's on the table and it should be a discussion that they can have in their lives. So I think someone like Will is a good role model and hopefully, like you said, I think we've put him on a good track and we're looking forward to continue to see what he does with the rest of his runway over the next couple of years in college of uh his runway over the next couple of years in college.
Speaker 3:Awesome, awesome. Thank you for sharing that. And again, mom, I'm sorry I have a heavy accent and I will butcher the name of your school. Um, not intentionally, but it was like they. They laughed. Even when they have been on the show in the past they laugh. They're like look, just let us say the school name, because we know you can't your accent mess up, but you get it.
Speaker 3:But I have truly enjoyed you guys. I wish him nothing but the best. Don't cry too hard when you drop them off, even though we know it's gonna be like tuck and roll, peace we empty nest. Now I'm just playing. They're like wait a minute, that ain't part of the deal. But no, truly, truly, any way that we can support beyond this contest, we do make sure you send us your address. We do send uh care packages. We also send letters of motivation, because it's hard, you know. We got to motivate our young people in the door out by four and if we we're not behind them, who else will be? So thank you for coming. I truly, truly appreciate you all and I'm going to keep my fingers crossed because, like I said throughout this whole competition. It's like he is the consecutive, so I don't know. I need to know your secret for next year so I can help you.
Speaker 11:Well, thank you for you and the work that you and your mom are doing Now. You got me excited to meet her at least see the video. So thank you for the work that you guys are doing and you know, keep up the good work.
Speaker 3:Any any time like this is us and it's actually my mom and dad, but he's not gonna come on. I'm gonna tell you he's not. I'm gonna find you and text you and give you the link right there so you can talk to him.
Speaker 12:Thank you again.
Speaker 11:All right.
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Speaker 3:Welcome back Now. Look, we are with our final family for today, for round two, I'm sorry, round three, day two of our Meet the Parents for the Takesha A Davis Scholarship Program. Now I have you know. Let me let them introduce themselves and tell us you know who they are and where they're from. See, I got in such a mode I was going to introduce, but he's not a stranger, he's been here before.
Speaker 13:All right, I'll start off. My name is Anthony Bond and this is my son, amari Bond, who is the contestant. I am a school teacher in Howard County, maryland.
Speaker 8:You're next to me. Hi, I'm Cheryl Bond. I am amari's mom. I'm from baltimore, maryland. We are just work for the state well, good evening.
Speaker 9:My name is amari vaughn. I go to go to louis state university. I am the contestant awesome.
Speaker 3:Well, welcome you guys. It's a pleasure to have you parents. First let me say thank you for allowing your child to participate. I know you're like, when is this competition going to end? It just gets so intense sometimes, though, but I mean we must applaud Amari. You know you got top 70 all the way. You know he's made it down to the top 20. So that's, that's a milestone. But so let's just get into the questions that I have, and I've asked several parents the same questions, but the answers that you all have given are truly, truly amazing. Now this process of Amari wanting to attend an HBCU how did that come about? From a parent's standpoint, how do you feel about him going to an HBCU?
Speaker 13:Well, I mean I know, for me I mean HBCUs are pretty much all I know. I mean I was born in Meharry Medical School, which is an HBCU. My parents went to HBCUs. My cousins I mean pretty much my whole entire family everybody went to an HBCU. And growing up in Norfolk Virginia, pretty much Norfolk State was kind of like the centerpiece of my life. You know, I went to Norfolk State football games. I went to Hampton football games. I went to pretty much HBCU events like my entire life. So HBCUs are pretty much all I've personally ever known, and I think a lot of that's. You know me telling the stories and talking about different things. I think he's always been kind of like taking it in over time.
Speaker 8:For me. I learned about HBCUs. Neither one of my parents went to college. I learned about HBCUs from television the Cosby Show, a Different World. I wanted to experience what I saw on TV. So that's how I was drawn to HBCUs. In my opinion, when I saw the spark in Amari's eyes for HBCUs was in middle school, and middle school was Amari's first experience with band. He had two teachers that were former marching band members from Bethune-Cookman and he came home and he was like I'm going to Bethune-Cookman and he wanted to be like them, going to Bethune Cook and he wanted to be like them. And then when he went to high school it cultivated in him even more because he was fortunate to have a band teacher that was an advocate for HBCUs. So we're in Baltimore and we had the CIAA here. So when those schools came his teacher made sure those HBCUs came and spoke to his class. So Amari was excited to see all the schools that came to his school and the students and hear their experiences.
Speaker 3:I love it. I love it. I love it Now totally night and day, from from where I am in Texas, that that whole community gets involved and you say CIAA, so I already know how that is. That's really exciting, especially Norfolk State, you know, y'all got a new coach there. Yeah, see, I'm following something. You know what I mean. But that's truly, truly exciting Now, also from a parent standpoint. Now was it a challenge in getting him to this point, like the whole college getting ready process, because today I've heard so many stories from parents today like, look, we had to be on him this whole year because we was trying to get this done. But how was it for you?
Speaker 8:I don't, it wasn't challenge, but I've stayed on Amare In the public schools here they have the app Schoology so I could see his grades and I would be on him. He knows if he saw a text message from me and he was at school, then I saw something he needed to get himself together. But also Amare had the opportunity. He has an older brother. Brother is six years older than him, so he's like a mentor to him. So he had that inspiration of seeing his brother go to college and again, like I said, at school, with that marching band they were going to do what they wanted to do because they their goal was we're going to college, we're going to do to be in a band. So, whether or not it was academics, whatever it is that draw him to school, ultimately education is the end goal I love it, I love that, um, and I think amari you are.
Speaker 3:Amari is in the band at buoy, correct?
Speaker 8:he will be in the band at boys day. You haven't had a band camp yet. It starts monday. Stars monday.
Speaker 3:We've been at the track we've been marching I I don't know if he really understands.
Speaker 8:Yeah, band camp yeah. It starts.
Speaker 13:Monday. It starts Monday. We've been at the track, we've been marching. I don't know if he really understands, you know I keep trying to tell him. So I attended.
Speaker 13:I'm from Norfolk but I went to Virginia State University, which is, you know, close to the Richmond area, and my freshman dorm was near where the marching band practiced and I told him I'm like listen, it was 11, 30, 12. They still out there. They've been out there all day. So you know, I think he needs to see it for himself. I mean, one thing about his high school is that you know, everybody who went to college would always come back on a holiday season break. So he always, he has a lot of information, but I think he kind of needs to see it for himself.
Speaker 13:And I think that environment, you know, with them always coming back, because I mean he went to his high school today and assisted with, you know, the kids in school. So that connection that you know his band director built, that's what kind of has always, like, driven him, you know, towards, you know doing certain things. Really, for him, band has always been his life. He's been lugging his tuba around since, I think, fourth grade lugging it around. I knew he loved it because I never had to tell him to practice. He always practiced on his own. I think that HBCU bug bit him early, beat him early and that kind of drove him academically because you know you've got to have grades to be in the band.
Speaker 3:That's facts. Grades plus talent equals scholarship. So yeah, that's. Yeah, I truly get that part. So yeah, I didn't know it was a tuba. Goodness, do you carry that heavy instrument on the field? Yeah, my head's off to you. Everybody ain't able, and I know I'm not. Hey, that's, that's big stuff. The tubas carry a lot of the, a lot of the weight in the, in the band you ready yeah, yeah they're like, yeah, I got this.
Speaker 3:Okay, I bet you better than me. Hopefully I get to see you, because I do. I make my rounds in different you know games and things like that. So if I'm, if I'm near your band, I'm gonna go go talk. I'm like, hey, I'm looking for somebody, but that's, that's pretty cool. So are y'all? You know you already had the experience of dropping them off temporarily for a couple weeks, but are y'all ready to to uh, drop them off the band camp you said monday monday you ready, I'm going to go to summer.
Speaker 3:Lord, you said no, mom said no, real quick, dad's like.
Speaker 13:Yeah, it's different because you know both the boys are gone now so it'll be different. But you know, luckily, I think one thing that makes me feel better is that you know his brother is at the same college and you know they've always been close. They grew up really really close. They have a good relationship. So I think I'd be really nervous if he was at a college by himself. But you know, I know his brother is there and you know, even though you know Bowie is here, it's about 45 minutes, 50 minutes from our house. We never really go to that area, so it's basically like he's gone Cause I I'd never go down there.
Speaker 13:But I I'm trying to get ready. But I am excited about, you know, marching band season, cause I love HBCUs, I love band. There's going to be a whole different experience going to a game and you know I actually know somebody on the field, you know my actual son. So I'm excited. I'm excited, you know, for these weekend trips and you know, going to these football games and seeing different things. And he actually plays my alma mater this season, he plays Virginia State University. So I'm going to be a little biased that day. But you know, family first.
Speaker 3:Wait a minute. You said he playing your school. You don't? You gonna go with your son I got to.
Speaker 13:I got to, you know, I mean listen that's loyalty.
Speaker 3:I'll be with my. I'll be sitting there. I'll be sitting there with my son, but I have on this give me a half and half shirt made or something.
Speaker 13:I love VSU, virginia State University. That's my home, but my son is going to be on the field. I'll definitely be rooting for him.
Speaker 3:Amari, you didn't want to go to VSU. I'm being messy, I know. I'll definitely be rooting for him. Amari, you didn't want to go to VSU. I'm being messy, I know. No, not at all.
Speaker 13:It was just a different style. That was the one.
Speaker 8:A different style of band. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Okay, I was going to say they food good on that campus though.
Speaker 8:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You're like no, no, that's good, I'm super proud of you. I didn't know it was tuba. I got a whole different respect for you. Now, this thing ain't heavy. You about to be walking the whole football field. You got it.
Speaker 9:Yeah, I'll be fine and dancing.
Speaker 8:I guess you got it. He claims the tuba doesn't have to dance as much hbcu style band in high school.
Speaker 3:They dance, they, they might, you know, do a two-step. And if you, if you really watch hbcu bands, see what the uh, the rattlers tubas do, oh, that's what you're saying them. That's amari's hobby, watching bands on youtube yeah, fam, you, they, they tubas do that leap and they drop and I'm like oh, I think they do a split.
Speaker 13:You got half split.
Speaker 3:That's why I'm like you said, tubas don't what, they dance and split and everything else. But hey, I'm, I'm glad you you going and you, you taking this dance and doing something big like that's epic. I'm proud of you. I know your parents are are proud as well. Now, before I let you go, because I I've asked everybody this question, um, as much as some of the other ones that we get, you know, y'all got me sidetracked, talking about being because amari didn't tell you an instrument I'm thinking it's the saxophone. He talked about tuba. I'm looking like that's a heavy, but, um, before I let you go this evening, um, first I want to to say thank you again for allowing your son and thank you all for coming today to advocate on behalf of your child. Why should our listening audience and our viewers vote for Amari?
Speaker 8:Hand it over to you, Mr.
Speaker 13:Dillon Hand it over to me.
Speaker 13:Yes, I think that you know Amari's ideas about taking band and pushing it into the schools and helping students. I think that's why you know they should vote for Amari, because you know his dreams are all about, you know, helping push music back into the schools and making music kind of like allowing music to kind of like help the community. I mean, Amari is really into. You know the community and the history of HBCUs and so I really feel like Amari, with his desire to be in education and to push the arts in schools which the arts are kind of, like, you know, taken for granted you know he really wants to dedicate his time to students.
Speaker 13:You know I'm an educator and I know how being an educator is. You know we don't do this for money. You know we do this to help the community, we do this for the kids and you know, from a young age, amari's been really, really into, you know, helping students. I feel like you know if amari is able to access the scholarship and get into school, that Amari will give back. He definitely will give back. Like I said today, he already was at his school. So his whole focus is taking band to give back to the community and help other students fall in love with band as well.
Speaker 8:And I'll add, I think Amari would be a great mentor. Amari something that we learned when he was young. Amari loves kids, so he's very helpful and I didn't know until my oldest son shared with us that there were less than 2% of teachers are Black male, and I think Amari would do a great justice to the school system by being an example of what Black men can do and breaking those stereotypes, especially in the Baltimore metropolitan area, should he choose to stay here with his mother. But I think that he would be a great role model in the school and maybe do great in the community, like my husband said. And also I think Amari would represent the scholarship and the organization well.
Speaker 3:Awesome, awesome. I just love how parents like get on here and they advocate like everything for the scholar and, as a fellow educator, I truly understand like we. We pour everything in um, and it's truly a mission-based position. It is not for the faint at heart. Um, we, we give a lot, but you know, we get rewarded and seeing the success in our young people.
Speaker 3:Now, if you're looking on the bottom of the screen, the information on how to vote for your favorite, your favorite contestant is scrolling along the bottom and, guys, I have like 20 something more of talking to our parents, but I'm not gonna do it today though, but I know I do it today. I probably pass out on here, but it has been truly a pleasure sitting down, getting to talk to our parents, to see, because, you know, we got to know we have some amazing scholars this year, but we have some extraordinary parents that have showed up for their young people advocating, giving their stories, and we truly appreciate you. So, on behalf of the takisha davis scholarship, a better chance for you futures. Incorporated like share, comment and definitely vote. Uh, alum, now we, we have a house divided, so you gotta come together and vote, come together and vote. He's going to Van Cape. You said Monday.
Speaker 8:Monday.
Speaker 3:Okay, well, he's going to Van Cape. It's not hot there like it is here, right?
Speaker 8:It was hot. Today was like maybe one of the cooler days that we had and it was still in the mid to upper 80s, but we've been close to 100 every other day. Why are you dehydrated? To upper 80s, but we've been close to 100 every other day.
Speaker 3:Stay hydrated, stay hydrated, amari. But I am, in all seriousness, I am proud of you for taking that leap. Your mom gave you the stats, so your brother did. It's accurate. Also, if you are watching and you are a male educator especially african america, or minority educator, um, please help out our friend here. Uh, we, there are programs and there also are other scholarships that are available, because he's trying to make a difference. Everybody don't want to go into education and you know it's legacy for him. So we got to help out. So thank you again for coming. I wish you much success.
Speaker 3:I got my fingers crossed that you get enough votes that you make it to the top 10. But even if you do not, make sure you get us your address so we can still support you. Or, you know, maybe you can slide, you know, dr Mo, some free tickets to the classics. I'm just kidding. Or you know, maybe you can slide, you know, dr mo, some some free tickets to the classics, not just, but no, no seriousness. Good luck at band camp. And it was a pleasure talking to um both of you tonight. So I keep you, keep my fingers crossed for you and mom, don't cry too hard when you drop them off.
Speaker 13:I understand she'll be crying she's like I don't know.
Speaker 3:But hey, it's, you know, you got facetime, you got life 360, so you can track them yep and and we definitely like like to thank you very much for this opportunity.
Speaker 13:I mean, this is an amazing program. Um, you know, I'm sitting here taking notes too, because I also have a scholarship that I give in honor of my mom and I'm just sitting here looking like man. I definitely got to step my game up, because there's definitely no one here as elaborate as this, but this is definitely inspiring me because my mom was an educator. That's kind of where the bug came from. My mom's an educator, my sister's an educator, I an educator, I'm an educator, he's going to school for education. So, amari, you know he he definitely gets it on us trying to work on that, that two percent, because you know we definitely gotta gotta get that number up we, we need them.
Speaker 3:Um, I remember doing a workshop uh some time ago and I had to ask you know what was the first time you had a black male teacher.
Speaker 3:The room got quiet wow just saying so yeah, they're needed and you know. So, hey, anything I can do on my end, you know, whether the non-profit or whether in you know our scholarship, you know, let us know like we are here to support, we are truly here to support. So it's been fun, but I gotta run. Um, I'm not running nowhere, I'm literally just gotta go. But thank you for thank you for coming um, and I will definitely keep my fingers crossed. Please like, share, comment and definitely vote for our scholars. If you alum, you definitely need to vote because he's going to your school and he's representing. Just saying, throw that in your form. But, um, thank you again. I am your, your host, founder of dr monique robinson, and we're about to go. Thank you, families.
Speaker 13:I hold on one more thing. All right, mara you ready? Hey, hey, hey, hey. One more time you got to represent. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Thank you.
Speaker 3:He got the chin he ready.
Speaker 4:For inspiration, motivation and the good news of Jesus Christ, Look no further. The Daily Gospel Network has what you need. With more than 300 ministries from all over the country broadcasting every week, you're sure to get your dose of spirit-filled encouragement from the great programs on the Daily Gospel Network. Catch the Daily Gospel Network on Roku, Amazon, Fire, Apple TV, all mobile devices and the internet.
Speaker 2:Tune in to a better chance for youth television show with host Monique Robinson on the Daily Gospel Network, the television show dedicated to highlighting incredible students on their quest to change the world. Join us every week as we uplift the youth and help them on their journey to the bright future they deserve. Catch A Better Chance for Youth television show with host Monique Robinson on the Daily Gospel Network. Thanks for watching A Better Chance for Youth television show with your host Monique Robinson, the television show where we highlight incredible students in their quest to change the world. Join us each and every week as we uplift our youth and help them on their journey to the bright future they deserve. So until next time. God bless From your friends. On A Better Chance for Youth television show with your host Monique Robinson.
