October 8, 2009

BY LAUREN FOSTER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Justin Timberlake sings about bringing sexy back, but where was it in the first place? 

According to the 5 Million Kids (5MK) Initiative sponsored by Operation Hope, sexy was shacking up with high school dropout rates.

In an effort to combat this relationship, Operation Hope launched its 5MK initiative last week at Bret Harte Preparatory Middle School in South Los Angeles. Its major theme: Make smart sexy again.

The California Department of Education reports that the dropout rate for the 2007-08 school year was 20.1 percent.

As part of the initiative, organizers plan to provide children with financial literacy in hopes to curb dropout rates, not only in California, but across the nation.

Operation Hope, an organization big on financial literacy, has an initiative that is multifaceted, and aims to use financial literacy, positive role models, free enterprise and capitalism, among other things, to encourage youth to stay in school and become successful.

The five main objectives to the 5MK initiative the following:

• Teach financial literacy to 5 million kids and their parents

• Increase role models and grassroots leaders for youth

• Help open starter savings accounts for youth

• Secure $50 million in Earned Income Tax Credit for parents and teachers

• Open 50,000 new bank accounts for the unbanked and under banked.

 “There are some elected officials that aren’t here today,” John Hope Bryant, founder and CEO of Operation Hope, told several kids at the launch event.

He impressed upon the students that civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young, Quincy Jones, co-chair of the initiative, and Quincy Jones III, digital chair, were among the many backing the initiative. Other figures included David Brewer, former Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent; the Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray, former pastor of First AME Church; Ramon Cortines, current LAUSD superintendent; Jack O’Connell, state superintendent of public instruction; actor Tyrese Gibson; and several others.

Union Bank and America’s Alliance are also supporters. 

While spreading financial literacy seems on the surface as a simple enough task, it is a big dream and “includes everyone: parents, teachers, kids, administrators, and the community,” said Principal Lester Davidson. 

5MK plans to launch in 15 more cities, including Chicago and Atlanta.

Eighth-grade Algebra teacher James Hustace said he was concerned that his students may receive mixed messages.

“A couple kids make it out of the ’hood. Not many of them can be Tyreses. I am not doubting or wanting 5MK to be unsuccessful; I just don’t want them to be blind-sided by the money and miss out on all the other information there is to be learned while at school.”  

Jeffrey Johnson, celebrity ambassador for Operation Hope, told attendees that the true success of the initiative is “about whose hand it is in.”

“Will you use your hands to achieve or will you sit on them?” he said. “With all our hands together we can do more.”