Scholars On “Get On The Bus” Tour To Motivate 500 New Orleans Students

Morehouse College scholars will travel to New Orleans on Friday, Sept. 20 for the annual “Get on the Bus” empowerment tour, which will encourage 500 Louisiana high school students to pursue higher education after graduation.

The community outreach, led by the Morehouse College Division of Student Life, is part of an effort to develop high school students of color as leaders and to help them see the benefit of a college education. Fifty-four Morehouse scholars will lead the workshops, which begin at 9 a.m. at New Orleans’ historic McDonogh #35 College Preparatory High School. 

Approximately 500 students from the New Orleans Public Schools district and area private schools have been invited to the event. The students will represent traditional public schools, public charter schools, and private institutions in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, as well as the St. Mary, Lafourche, Terrebonne, and St. John the Baptist parishes will also be in attendance.

The “Get on the Bus” empowerment tour aligns with the mission of Morehouse College, which is to develop men with disciplined minds who will lead lives of leadership and service. The tour gives Morehouse College scholars a platform that enables them to share the challenges and successes that have helped to develop them as men of Morehouse

“Our students have a story to tell,” said Kevin Booker, Associate Vice President of Morehouse’s Division of Student Life. “They want to share their stories across the nation. It is our hope that our visit will inspire high school students to realize that education is the key that opens doors. We hope that they will come to understand there are opportunities beyond the neighborhoods that they live in.”

The New Orleans tour is the sixth “Get on the Bus” outreach sponsored by Morehouse. In recent years, Morehouse student leaders have held similar motivational talks and mentoring sessions in Chicago, Washington D.C, and New York.

The goal of the trip is to empower high school students to focus on their studies, future career goals, and self-confidence so that they can graduate ready for college. Sessions on paying for college with scholarships are also held.

“We will have a variety of students traveling with us, including Louisiana natives, freshman – senior year” Booker said. “We want students to consider college as an option even if they don’t consider Morehouse.”

While in Louisiana, Morehouse students will attend a reception with Morehouse alumni, visit the Whitney Plantation and tour the African American Cultural Center at Louisiana State University.