December 2017
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Perseverance is the theme of our 19th annual MinneapolisNEXT holiday fundraising effort.
Proudly MinneapolisNEXT has stuck to the task of developing the next generation of youth leaders in the Twin Cities. We showcase JT Baker this year, a remarkable DeLaSalle High School graduate who is now a freshman at Cornell University. In 2017, our signature NEXT scholars program supported 65 high school students at DeLaSalle in Minneapolis and St. Agnes in St. Paul, two institutions with vital roles in the urban core of their cities.
This year, NEXT continued its long-time financial support of the Hollywood Studio of Dance in North Minneapolis and Phelps Activities Council (Phelps Park) in South Minneapolis, two neighborhood anchors whose leaders have been steadfast in their perseverance and support of local youth.
Additionally, this year, MinneapolisNEXT made a contribution for facility improvements to Life Prep Academy, a small private high school for at-risk and homeless youth in suburban
St. Paul. More on this topic next year, but feel free to contact us if you’d like more info.
And now, it’s our pleasure to introduce JT Baker, son of James and Alice Baker, and a MinneapolisNEXT alumni with deep northside Minneapolis roots. He’s a remarkable young man
who exemplified the NEXT ethos in his spring NEXT scholar essay on perseverance, which was posted on our blog at ALastingAssist.com. Please see the enclosed copy.
MinneapolisNEXT remains committed to its low-cost operating philosophy, where the Board of Directors pays all administrative expenses so a full 100 percent of donations received can go directly to benefit kids in need. And even further, as we have seen over and over again – one good deed leads to many others.
Contributions of any amount are greatly appreciated. We hope we can count on your support. By investing in youth today, we can ensure a return on your investment for many tomorrows.
Best wishes to you and yours this holiday season,
Rexford Holland
President, MinneapolisNEXT
Essay reprinted from a blog affiliated with MinneapolisNEXT.
May 18 2017
Perseverance by JT Baker
Perseverance is personal for me. This value of sacrifice and hard work is one I have lived at every stage of my life, from my premature birth as a one-and-a-half pound baby to my upcoming high school graduation and matriculation to an Ivy League university. This value has shaped who I have become and influences who I want myself and others to be.
My father is one of many people who have modeled perseverance for me. Watching him work long hours along with my mother to run a small neighborhood deli in North Minneapolis has proved to me that success doesn’t just happen. I know firsthand the time and energy it takes. I worked many weekend shifts along with my parents to help the business. As the poem “You Mustn’t Quit” says,
“Stick to your task, though the pace seems slow—You may succeed with one more blow.”
I see my dream to play football for an Ivy League school becoming a reality, but it has not been without years of sacrifice and hard work. Perseverance meant that I had to focus on my education first, football second. My 3.7 grade point average and induction into the National Honor Society are two signs that anything is possible with determination and a solid education.
Knowing the hard work I have put in to reach this point in my life only makes me appreciate even more the sacrifice others have made to help me succeed. I am grateful for the scholarship from Minneapolis NEXT, which has enabled me to pursue my dream, and I hope one day to inspire someone else to have a similar drive and determination.