Latin School of Chicago

When people talk about volunteerism, you frequently hear the phrase "giving something back." That doesn't seem quite right to me. At best, it sounds like a simple trade – something received and something of equal value returned. I think our obligation to the community is greater than that. When I launch into a volunteer activity, I want to try to be sure that my involvement is impactful and that the organization is committed to growth and change. I learned about High Jump while reading an article in this very magazine, nearly 20 years ago. I toured the program at Latin on a Saturday soon after, and I have been volunteering for High Jump in some capacity ever since – first as a teacher and mentor, and now as a board member and fundraiser. The program's goal is pretty straightforward: to deliver an academic enrichment experience that helps prepare talented middle school students with limited economic means for success at rigorous high schools. I feel lucky to have attended Latin, but I wish luck didn't have anything to do with it. I transferred to the school in fifth grade after my homeroom teacher suggested that my parents check it out. I know that her simple, caring suggestion changed my life in so many ways. More than anything, I appreciate that she guided us to an amazing option that none of us knew existed. I loved attending Latin, and I was able to fit in and succeed in a new, challenging environment. But why does that outcome have to be so random? While I wish that we could serve many more students, my hope is that High Jump helps mitigate some of that randomness. The program works really hard to identify and recruit promising students from all around the city. These great kids amaze and inspire me. They come from a rich variety of backgrounds, and they travel to Latin from neighborhoods all across Chicago to attend High Jump. They dedicate their summers and weekends during seventh and eighth grade to take on more schoolwork. They share a commitment to improving their lives through education. And they deserve the opportunity to pursue their full potential, despite their limited economic means. Having attended Latin, college and graduate school with the support of scholarships myself, I feel strongly about helping High Jump's outstanding students achieve their goals. High Jump has grown from 16 students in a grade at the beginning to more than 60 students in a grade today. Twenty years ago it was a neighborhood program, and most of the students went on to attend nearby schools such as Latin, Parker, St. Ignatius or Whitney Young. At High Jump's high school fair this fall, more than 40 schools came to recruit High Jump's eighth graders: independent day schools, parochial schools, selective enrollment Chicago public schools, and boarding schools from throughout the country. As the students explored their many options, I was pleased to know that they, too, would soon be making choices that would change their lives in ways they couldn't yet imagine. "Having attended Latin, college and graduate school with the support of scholarships myself, I feel strongly about helping High Jump's outstanding students achieve their goals." Vince Cozzi congratulates a graduate of High Jump at the Moving Up ceremony in 1998. Latin School of Chicago 35

• Cover