As we near the time for the Howard
University 2013 Homecoming, I would like to honor a great lady, a
Howard alumna, who gave back to the community via her service as the Director
of the Guidance Department at Atlantic City High School. Mrs. Wanda Harris was the Director of the
Guidance Department of Atlantic City High School, where I volunteered for an
hour each day during my senior year at Atlantic City High School.
As a student volunteer in the
guidance office, I would answer phones, type, run errands, shelve books,
etc. The best part of this experience
was meeting Mrs. Harris. Mrs. Harris
personally showed me the process of applying to colleges and applying for
scholarships and financial aid. She did
not have to do this because I had a counselor, but thank God she did. Her help made a huge difference in my
life. With her continual guidance, at
that critical time in my life, I had the information and support that I really needed
to succeed in getting into a good college.
Mrs. Harris would notify me, and
other students, as soon as scholarship information was available. I would promptly fill out the application
forms, provide information, write essays, and go to interviews to meet the
requirements for the scholarship. Mrs.
Harris would remind me, whenever she saw me, to make sure that I submitted the
information on time. She reminded me to
take the SAT on time, too.
When I was accepted into Howard
University, I quickly informed Mrs. Harris.
We rejoiced at the news. I also
told her the dormitory that I would be staying in was the Harriet Tubman
Quadrangle - Truth Hall. I told her the
room that I was staying in, room 206, and she joyfully smiled and said that was
the same exact room that she stayed in 30 years earlier when she was a Howard
University student. (My high school classmate, Krystal, was also accepted into
Howard University and we stayed in that room.)
Mrs. Wanda Harris passed away some
years ago. Yet, I will always remember
what she did for me, and others, at Atlantic City High School. In my heart, I thank Mrs. Harris, an awesome
Howard University alumna, who gave back in her own special way.
By Angeline Bandon-Bibum
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