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The idea of having a Freedom School at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO began when Dwayne Crompton, a fellow member, and Tom Rhone attended a Children's Defense Fund (CDF) Conference in North Carolina in 1995.
Being that Crompton worked as an executive director of KCMC Child Development Corporation and Rhone was an executive of Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the two were eager to bring Freedom School to Kansas City as they were sure it would make a difference in children's lives of that area.
Upon their return, they sent Carolyn Booker, also a member of Mt. Pleasant, to the Freedom School training session at the Haley Farm owned by CDF in Clinton, TN. She returned excited and determined to help start a site in Kansas City.
As with all major endeavors, Booker knew they needed partner. She turned to Mt. Pleasant's senior pastor Rev. L. Henderson Bell who was soon on board.
That summer, as a result of Crompton, Rhone, Booker and Bell's collaboration, Mt. Pleasant became the first Freedom School site to be established in the state of Missouri. The site launched Kansas City CDF Freedom Schools Initiative.This accomplishment came at a commemorative 30 years after the Freedom Summer began as one of the most successful educational social experiments in our nation's history.
Kansas City CDF Freedom Schools Initiative formed as a joint venture of the Children's Defense Fund's Black Community Crusade for Children in Washington D.C., Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church and KCMC Child Development Corporation.
In 2000, Mt. Pleasant was joined by two more churches that desired to open their doors as Freedom School sites: St. James United Methodist Church in Kansas City and King Solomon Baptist Church in Kansas City, KS. Since then, many more churches and organizations have become sites, as well.
Today, Kansas City CDF Freedom Schools Initiative continues to make a positive impact on children's lives with the summer program and with the Saturday Learning Academy held throughout the academic school year.
For more information on Kansas City CDF Freedom Schools Initiative including how you and/or your child(ren) can be apart of this remarkable program, please visit our website.
"A healthy, head, fair, safe and moral start."
HEALTHY START
- affirms that every child deserves a healthy lifestyle
- to enjoy childhood with a healthy body and mind
HEAD START
- affirms that every child is entitled to quality care and early education
- the "head start" children need for a strong start in life
FAIR START
- ensures that children grow up in families and communities that are economically secure
- to have strong parents, guardians and families
- values are reinforced by communities that demonstrate a true commitment to family
SAFE START
- affirms that every child deserves to be protected from violence
- affirms that every child deserved to be cared for in strong families and supportive communities
MORAL START
- ensures that children are taught the enduring values of honesty, hard work, discipline, responsibility and respect for self and others
- teaches us to respect every child as God's gift
SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE INTO ADULTHOOD
With the help of caring families and communities, children grow to adulthood with the physical, mental and moral health required to contribute to society and model servant-leadership in their community.
