Coming full circle

by Linda Quinn

August 22, 2006 | | Kansas City, Kansas

“For over 20 years, I worked and lived as a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines in Kansas City. While Kansas City was my home, my job didn’t allow me to be around long enough to become involved in the community. But, things changed after I retired.

“I immediately joined a number of community activities and that’s how I met a city commissioner. He was involved in the city’s study circle program on education and thought that I could add a lot to the program’s discussions. Two months later, I was participating in a circle.

“After meeting together for over a month, all of the people in my circle decided to adopt a local elementary school. We met with the school’s principal and talked about ways we could help his students. Both the principal and our circle felt that it was important to reach out to the school’s fifth graders before they made the tough transition into middle school. So, the men in our circle formed a group to mentor and tutor fifth-grade boys. The women in our circle formed a young ladies group to teach etiquette to the fifth-grade girls.

“Our circle also raised money to create a supply closet for students in the counselor’s office. We stocked the closet with combs and brushes, hygiene products, belts to help boys keep their baggy pants on their waists—anything that young people may need during the school day.

“After my study circle experience, I became a sales person for the process. During one of my church group meetings, I talked about study circles and the kind of change and energy it generates. Later I found out that one of the group members was Wendell Maddox, the president of the United Way of Wyandotte County, the lead agency of the local study circle program in which I participated. Wendell was so impressed with my enthusiasm that he offered to work with me to find a job with the program.

“After a few years of volunteering with the United Way, I became the study circle program coordinator! I’m more passionate than ever about the process, and I’m now committed to engaging troubled youth. For the past year, we’ve worked with students who are suspended for bad behavior. We developed a 10-day program combining study circles, Mix It Up and the America’s Promise curriculum that compliments the 2nd Step curriculum used by the school district. The program helps students talk about issues that are most important to them and make plans to get out and make a move. This fall, we hope to expand this program to other schools.

“The participants of KCK Study Circles help drive the focus of the program. So, we’re working this fall to re-launch our community study circle program and address the issue of racism. We realize that if study circles are good for the schools then they’re good for the neighborhoods, and if they’re good for neighborhoods, they’re good for the entire community. It’s a full circle.”

Learn more: Education  | Neighborhoods