THIS IS THE EMMY AWARD WINNING SHOW LET'S TALK CINCY, PRESENTED BY WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP. PUT OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH BEHIND YOU. HELLO EVERYONE. I'M CURTIS FULLER AND WELCOME TO LET'S TALK CINCY. THE BIRTH OF A CHILD BRINGS JOY AND HOPES FOR THE FUTURE. BUT SOMETIMES THAT JOURNEY INCLUDES MEDICAL CHALLENGES THAT PUT A STRAIN ON PARENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE'RE FORTUNATE HERE IN CINCINNATI TO HAVE THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE SINCE 1982. THE HOUSE HAS HOSTED SICK CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR FREE. IT PROVIDES A PLACE OF WARMTH AND COMFORT DURING SOME VERY DIFFICULT TIMES. TODAY, I WANT TO SHARE THE STORY OF A MOTHER NAMED BRITTANY AND HER SON BRAXTON FROM FREMONT, OHIO. BRITTANY SAYS THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A BUILDING WITH FOUR WALLS. SMILE. SAY CHEESE. CHEESE. THERE IT IS. WELL, HE'LL BE TWO AND A HALF AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. AND HE'S EXCEEDING EVERYTHING THAT THE DOCTORS, YOU KNOW, THOUGHT HE WOULDN'T DO. SO HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SPINA BIFIDA. WHEN I WAS 20 WEEKS PREGNANT. WE GOT RELOCATED DOWN HERE TO DELIVER HIM, AND HE SPENT A LITTLE OVER A MONTH IN THE NICU WITH THE SPINA BIFIDA. THEY DIDN'T THINK HE WOULD EVER WALK. SO IT'S MEANT EVERYTHING TO US TO BE HERE AND EVERY TIME WE'VE NEEDED THEM, THEY'VE CAME THROUGH THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE IS A MAGICAL PLACE WHERE FAMILIES WHO ARE UNDER EXTREME STRESS WHILE THEIR KIDS ARE IN THE HOSPITAL, FIND A PLACE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE HOSPITAL WHERE THEY CAN GET A GOOD NIGHT'S REST AND DELICIOUS HOME COOKED MEALS AND SUPPORT FROM OTHER FAMILIES GOING THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING AS WELL AS OUR VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF. WHEN WE WERE TOLD WE HAD TO RELOCATE DOWN HERE, WE DIDN'T THINK WE'D BE ABLE TO MONEY WISE. YOU KNOW, WITH THE STAY AND HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, EAT AND ALL THAT AND CARE FOR HIM AND IT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE HOSPITAL, IT'S STRESSFUL ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, WITH THEM FIGHTING FOR EVERYTHING. SO TO BE HERE AND LIKE RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOSPITAL, I MEAN, YOUR BABY'S IN THE NICU. YOU CAN COME HERE AND REGROUP, YOU KNOW, HAVE HOT MEALS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. IT TAKES A BIG BURDEN OFF OF YOU. YOU CAN FOCUS ON THEM. AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT WITH HELPING THEM GET BETTER. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEED FOR LIVING AT A RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE, YOU THINK ABOUT A FAMILY WHO'S COMING HERE, USUALLY FROM ANOTHER STATE, SOMETIMES ANOTHER COUNTRY, BUT MOST OFTEN AT LEAST 40 MILES AWAY. WE DO HAVE SOME LOCAL FAMILIES WHOSE KIDS ARE IN THE ICU, BUT THESE ARE MOSTLY FAMILIES FROM OUT OF TOWN. AND YOU KNOW, YOUR EXPENSES DON'T STOP JUST BECAUSE YOU LEAVE HOME TO SEEK CARE. HERE AT CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S. SO FAMILIES STILL HAVE A MORTGAGE. THEY STILL HAVE RENT. THEY STILL HAVE ALL OF THEIR EXPENSES BACK HOME. AND THEN THEY HAVE MOUNTING MEDICAL BILLS ON TOP OF IT. OUR AVERAGE STAY IS AROUND A MONTH. NOT MANY PEOPLE COULD AFFORD A HOTEL FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH. SOME FAMILIES LIVE HERE A YEAR OR LONGER, SO THOSE COSTS ARE JUST UNREALISTIC FOR PRETTY MUCH ANYONE. THIS HOUSE IS THE BEST OF CINCINNATI. IT REALLY SHOWCASES THE GENEROSITY OF CINCINNATI BECAUSE IT TAKES OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY TO KEEP OUR DOORS OPEN. WE ARE FUNDED BY INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS FROM CINCINNATI AND SO IT'S IT'S REALLY THE SPIRIT AND GENEROSITY OF CINCINNATI THAT MAKES THIS HOUSE POSSIBLE. BUT IT'S ALSO THE LOVE AND SUPPORT AND KINDNESS OF OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HERE. AND WE JUST HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT TRULY CARES FOR FAMILIES WHEN THEY REALLY NEED LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM OTHERS. FEELS LIKE YOU'RE AT HOME AND YOU THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT REST AREAS, THINGS FOR THE KIDS TO DO. YOU KNOW, THE ARTS AND CRAFTS THEY HAVE ALL DIFFERENT PLAYROOMS FOR ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS. AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE ALL THE OTHER FAMILIES STAYING HERE. SO WE'VE MADE SO MANY LIFELONG FRIENDS AND WE STILL KEEP IN TOUCH BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR SCHEDULES SYNC UP AND WE'RE HERE AT THE SAME TIMES, AND IT'S JUST NICE TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT, TO KNOW YOU'RE NOT ALONE. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE WITH AN EXTENDED FAMILY, YOU MEET PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SIMILAR THINGS. SO IT REALLY IS UNITING PEOPLE AND IT HELPS HELPS YOU MENTALLY LIKE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST YOU. HE'LL HAVE MANY CHECKUPS. IT'S A LIFELONG JOURNEY FOR HIM. BUT WE'LL WE'LL CONTINUE TO NEED THAT SUPPORT. AND I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO REPAY. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'VE PROVIDED FOR US. UP NEXT, YOU'LL MEET A WOMAN WHO HAS VOLUNTEERED AT THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES. HER MESSAGE FOR YOU WHEN LET'S TALK CINCY CONTINUES. WELCOME BACK EVERYONE. WELCOME BACK EVERYONE. A LIFEBLOOD OF THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE IS THE VOLUNTEERS. THESE FOLKS GIVE THEIR TIME TO HELP CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. CARROLL COLLINS HAS BEEN A VOLUNTEER FOR ALMOST. THREE DECADES. MY CHILDREN HAD GROWN AND WERE OFF TO COLLEGE, AND I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING WORTHWHILE TO DO WITH MY TIME, AND I WANTED TO VOLUNTEER, AND THERE HAPPENED TO BE A LITTLE ARTICLE IN THE NEWSPAPER AT THE TIME ASKING FOR VOLUNTEERS. SO I HAD HEARD OF RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE, AND I THOUGHT, THAT'S PROBABLY A WORTHWHILE CAUSE. WHEN I FIRST STARTED OUT, I WOULD DO PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING AROUND THE HOUSE, WHICH INCLUDED WORKING AT THE FRONT DESK, CHECKING PEOPLE IN AND OUT, AND TAKING CALLS TO MAKE RESERVATIONS. I WANT TO JUST DO BUSY WORK. I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WORTHWHILE AND THIS HAS TURNED OUT TO BE SUCH A WORTHY CAUSE. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES AND AND NOT ONLY ARE YOU INTERACTING WITH THESE WONDERFUL FAMILIES WHO ARE ARE MY HEROES BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH, THAT THEY'RE JUST ABLE TO PUT ONE STEP IN FRONT OF THE OTHER. BUT WE'RE ALSO DEALING WITH A WONDERFUL STAFF AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS AND IT JUST BECOMES A BIG FAMILY. AND IT'S JUST A PLEASURE TO COME HERE. AFTER THIS LONG, OVER 29 PLUS YEARS. YOU KNOW, I STILL LOOK FORWARD TO COMING EVERY TIME. AND IT'S JUST IT'S JUST VERY REWARDING. AND AND I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING WHAT ANYBODY WOULD WANT TO DO TO JUST MAKES PEOPLE'S LIVES AS EASY AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE THIS A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR THEM, THE VOLUNTEERS ARE ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE. OUR FIRST DAY DOWN HERE, WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG WE'D BE HERE. THEY RELOCATED US A MONTH BEFORE I WAS DUE, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG HE WOULD BE IN THE NICU AND JUST EVEN THE VOLUNTEERS. ANYTHING YOU NEED IF YOU NEED TO SIT AND TALK, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO YOU. WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF AMAZING VOLUNTEERS AT THE HOUSE WHO TAKE CARE OF SO MANY THINGS FOR OUR FAMILIES, SO THEY DON'T NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT. THEY KEEP OUR COMMON SPACES CLEAN. THEY WELCOME PEOPLE AT THE FRONT DESK. THEY MAKE SURE THERE'S HOT COFFEE 24 HOURS A DAY. OUR BIGGEST NEED RIGHT NOW IS FOR EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS AND THAT CAN BE CHALLENGING FOR SOME PEOPLE. BUT A LOT OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE RETIRED AND THEY HAVE MORE TIME, OR THEIR KIDS ARE GROWN AND THEY'RE ABLE TO KIND OF FLEX THEIR SCHEDULE. BUT THOSE ARE OUR BIGGEST NEEDS RIGHT NOW, IS FOR EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS. WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF ROLES FOR VOLUNTEERS. WE HAVE SOME THAT WORK AT OUR FRONT DESK. WE HAVE SOME CALLED HOUSE REFRESHERS WHO STOCK OUR COMMON AREAS IN THE HOUSE. WE HAVE SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS WHO HELP WITH MAINTENANCE OR HELP OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A GROUP WHO HELP IN OUR KITCHEN. WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED TASTE OF HOPE, WHERE WE PROVIDE MEALS FOR FAMILIES, AND WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS WHO HELP WITH EVERY MEAL HERE AS WELL. I VOLUNTEER SO I CAN HELP FAMILIES, BUT WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS THAT IT'S HELPED ME SO MUCH AND MADE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE AND IN JUST. I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT. I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE ENHANCED. MY LIFE, MAKE MY LIFE BETTER. BUT IT HAS AND IT'S JUST AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS ALL THESE YEARS. WELCOME BACK. WELCOME BACK. MANY OF YOU KNOW I HAVE A LOVE FOR MUSIC, ESPECIALLY JAZZ, IN MY YOUTH, I WAS A JAZZ AND CLASSICAL VIOLINIST, SO I WAS REALLY INSPIRED BY THIS NEXT STORY. A WONDERFUL PROGRAM IS TAKING PLACE AT THE KENNEDY HEIGHTS ARTS CENTER THAT ENCOURAGES YOUNG STUDENTS TO DEVELOP THEIR CREATIVE ABILITIES THROUGH JAZZ IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES MUSIC TRAINING AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES. STUDENTS MEET FIVE DAYS A WEEK AFTER SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, THE RESULTS ARE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE HERE. WE GO. 121234. THIS IS SUCH A SPECIAL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND KENNEDY HEIGHTS ARTS CENTER. WE STARTED THIS JAZZ ACADEMY PROGRAM IN. 2018. WE HAD ABOUT 16 STUDENTS AND NOW WE HAVE OVER 120 STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM IN GRADES FOURTH THROUGH 12TH. I ONE, TWO, THREE AND. DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING. BRANDEN FRANTZ. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS IT'S COMPLETELY BARRIER FREE. SO IT IS FREE TO ALL STUDENTS. WE PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FROM THEIR SCHOOLS HERE TO THE KENNEDY HEIGHTS ARTS CENTER. WE PROVIDE AN AFTER SCHOOL MEAL FOR THE STUDENTS. WE WILL CHECK THEM OUT IN INSTRUMENT FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, AND WE GIVE THEM A FREE 30 MINUTE PRIVATE LESSON BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT WHO HAS A DESIRE TO LEARN ABOUT THIS INCREDIBLE MUSIC, THIS INCREDIBLE HISTORY OF JAZZ IN AMERICA, HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY. ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS WE DO IS WE START WITH STUDENTS IN THE FOURTH GRADE SO WE CAN GET TO THEM EARLY, AND RHYTHM IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART, NOT JUST FOR THE DRUMMER AND THE PIANO PLAYER AND THE BASS PLAYER, BUT FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS. THE DYNAMIC RHYTHMS OF JAZZ. THAT'S WHAT HELPS ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR, YOU KNOW, CINCINNATI STUDENTS ARE SO GREAT AT PICKING UP RHYTHMS BECAUSE THEY CAN RELATE TO MUSIC WITH A BEAT. AND I THINK IN A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES THINK THAT JAZZ IS A GREAT WAY TO START KIDS OFF IN MUSIC. IT GETS THEM EXCITED. IT GETS THEM ENGAGED, IT GETS THEM ENTHUSIASTIC AND THEY REALLY HAVE A AFFINITY FOR THESE BEATS THAT JAZZ CAN CREATE. WHETHER IT'S SWING OR, YOU KNOW, BOSSA NOVA, GROOVE OR A SAMBA GROOVE. OUR STUDENTS REALLY ENJOY WORKING ON THESE RHYTHMIC PATTERNS. SO IT STARTS WITH RHYTHMS. AND. WHEN IZZY AND I FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT WHAT BECAME THE CINCINNATI JAZZ ACADEMY, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MUSIC PROGRAMS AT KENNEDY HEIGHTS ARTS CENTER. IT HAD BEEN FOUNDED, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2004 BY LOCAL RESIDENTS AND OUR REALLY OUR GROUNDING WAS IN THE VISUAL ARTS. AND WE DID SOME MULTIDISCIPLINARY KINDS OF THINGS. AND THROUGH PARTNERING WITH CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS, KENNEDY HEIGHTS ARTS CENTER PROVIDES AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS IN SEVERAL OF THE CPS SCHOOLS. DOCTOR RUDNICK AND I HAD WORKED TOGETHER, AND THERE WAS THIS IDEA OF REALLY EXPANDING SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TOGETHER AS A COLLABORATION AND CARRYING THROUGH WHAT HAD BEEN REALLY A DREAM AND A VISION OF HIS FOR MANY YEARS. AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, TO CREATE A JAZZ ACADEMY THAT PROVIDES REALLY WORLD CLASS MUSIC EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS HERE IN CINCINNATI, PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WE HAD THE FACILITY TO HOLD IT. WE DID SOME RENOVATIONS. WE'VE DONE SOME ADDITIONS. ALL OF THAT TO TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH OF THE PROGRAM SINCE WE STARTED IN 2018. BUT IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL COLLABORATION BRINGING THIS ALL TOGETHER OVER. YOU KNOW, THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND OUTER-BELT, OKAY, NOW WE'LL GO UP AND DOWN. OUR STUDENTS IN THE JAZZ ACADEMY, THEY KNOW ABOUT DUKE ELLINGTON, THEY KNOW ABOUT COUNT BASIE, THEY KNOW ABOUT ELLA FITZGERALD, THEY KNOW ABOUT LOUIS ARMSTRONG, AND THEY KNOW WHY THEY'RE IMPORTANT, AND THEY KNOW THAT THIS MUSIC WAS INNOVATED AND CREATED UNDER EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES BY THESE AMAZING AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTISTS. IT'S PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY. IT'S PART OF AMERICAN CULTURE. IT WAS A MAIN DRIVING ECONOMIC FORCE AT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, PERIODS OF AMERICAN HISTORY. SO THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ART FORM, NOT JUST ARTISTICALLY, WHICH, OF COURSE, IT IS, BUT ALSO HISTORICALLY. THIS IS ABOUT THE TOTAL TOTAL CHILD. ABSOLUTELY NOT ONLY SEEING THE PROGRESSION WITHIN A YEAR, BUT ALSO SOME OF THOSE ORIGINAL STUDENTS WHO STARTED WITH US IN 2018 AS FOURTH GRADERS. YOU KNOW, NOW IN HIGH SCHOOL AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEM PERFORMING ON STAGES IN NEW YORK CITY AND IN BARCELONA AND WITH SUCH POISE AND AMAZING ARTISTIC MUSICALITY, THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO HAD NEVER PLAYED AN INSTRUMENT BEFORE. THEY JOINED THE CINCINNATI JAZZ ACADEMY AND THEY ARE REALLY THEY PLAY WITH SOME OF THE TOP PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS IN THE WORLD, AND THEY'RE PLAYING RIGHT NEXT TO THEM ON THE STAGE. I THINK SOMETIMES THEY DON'T REALIZE WHO THEY'RE PLAYING NEXT TO SOMETIMES, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY HOLD THEIR OWN. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I LIKE TO SAY IS THAT WITH THESE STUDENTS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY PURSUE MUSIC AS A CAREER, AND I HAVE TO SAY, WATCH OUT, BECAUSE SOME OF OUR KIDS, YOU WILL SEE ON THE WORLD STAGE IN THE FUTURE, THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT JAZZ THAT REALLY CAPTURES THE ATTENTION OF YOUNG STUDENTS. THEY ENJOY IT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN IMMEDIATELY PLAY AND THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, SEE SOME PROGRESS IMMEDIATELY. BUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY PURSUE A CAREER IN MUSIC, THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE CINCINNATI JAZZ ACADEMY TEACHES THEM THAT THEY CAN DO GREAT THINGS, THAT THEY CAN DO GREAT THINGS WITH THEIR LIVES, AND THEY FEEL THAT SENSE OF PRIDE AND ACCOMPLISHMENT. AND, YOU KNOW, AND CONNECTION WITH OTHER MUSICIANS, WITH OTHER STUDENTS. AND THE LINEAGE OF THE, YOU KNOW, OF OF JAZZ MUSIC THAT THEY CARRY ON. IT REALLY HAS A PROFOUND EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIVES. HERE WE GO. ONE, TWO, ONE TWO, THREE FOUR. AGAIN. GREAT. FINALLY. FINALLY. TODAY, THERE IS A RICH LEGACY AND HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. IN FACT, WILBERFORCE UNIVERSITY HERE IN OHIO IS THE OLDEST PRIVATE HBCU IN THE NATION. RECENTLY, STUDENTS AT WITHROW UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HBCU TRADITION AND HISTORY. OUR SIGNATURE OUTREACH EVENT IS HBCU DAY. IT IS NOT A CAREER. A COLLEGE FAIR. IT IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR HBCU ALUMNI TO ENGAGE WITH STUDENTS ACROSS GREATER CINCINNATI. OUR MISSION IS TO EXCITE, ENGAGE, AND ENROLL STUDENTS IN THE POSSIBILITY OF HOW THEIR LIFE CAN BE EXTRAORDINARY BY ATTENDING AN HBCU JUST LIKE FAMU, I AM JUST SO GRATEFUL TO THE STAFF OF WITHROW, PRINCIPAL GRAY. HE'S BEEN A SUPPORTER SINCE DAY ONE. AGAIN, THIS EVENT STARTED SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND EACH AND EVERY YEAR WITHROW HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE FANTASTIC ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS. THEY'RE ALL IN MY INVOLVEMENT AS THE RESOURCE COORDINATOR HERE HAS JUST BEEN A VERY REWARDING. I'VE BEEN HERE GOING ON THREE YEARS AND THE CONNECTION THAT I MADE WITH THE STAFF AND THE TEACHERS HERE AND THE STUDENTS JUST BEING ABLE TO HELP STUDENTS THRIVE AND BE SUCCESSFUL HERE IN SCHOOL AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HAS JUST BEEN VERY REWARDING. THE IMPORTANCE OF HBCU DAY IS TO BE ABLE TO EXPOSE OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO HBCU COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND TO ALLOW THEM TO GET THE FEEL OF OTHER COLLEGES BESIDES PWI TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PRESENTERS WHO WERE GRADUATED FROM HBCUS AND TO GET THEIR BACKGROUNDS OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT THEY CAME FROM AND THEIR COLLEGE LIFE EXPERIENCE. THEY SOUND LIKE THEY HAD REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE AND INSPIRATIONAL DAY BECAUSE I ALWAYS I'M A VERY, LIKE, OUTGOING PERSON. SO I FEEL LIKE THAT MOTIVATES SOME PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY GET OUT THERE AND SHOW AND TELL PEOPLE WHAT THEY GO THROUGH. OH, I LOVED IT AS A SMALL TOWN KID FROM CINCINNATI, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WE DON'T REALLY GET TO SEE TOO MUCH OF HBCUS GOING ON HERE AND THERE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT REALLY AN HBCU IN TOWN. IT'S JUST, YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, SO GETTING TO SEE THE HBCU FEEL AND CULTURE, THAT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE AS A KID WHO DOESN'T REALLY GET TO SEE THAT ALL THE TIME NOW I GET TO SEE LIKE WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE WENT THROUGH AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE FROM THE NEXT LEVEL OF FROM COMING FROM AN HBCU AND HOW THEY'VE WENT TO GET BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE IT ALL SPARKED FROM AN HBCU. SO I WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO THINK ABOUT ATTENDING AN HBCU IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I WOULD SAY THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING ABOUT THE GREEK LIFE IS THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION ON THE COLLEGE, AND UNIVERSITY. JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM AWAY FROM HOME AS BEING ABLE TO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. BECAUSE WE DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE, WE GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO CONTINUING THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE CONNECTION OF AFTER COLLEGE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT OUTSIDE WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO NETWORK AND BE OPEN TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND INTERNSHIPS. SO I FELT LIKE THE STUDENTS GET A LITTLE TASTE OF COLLEGE LIFE. BEING INSIDE THE AUDITORIUM, BEING EXPOSED TO THE DIFFERENT FRATERNITIES AND THE SORORITY THAT WAS ABLE TO STROLL ACROSS THE STAGE AND THEY WERE VERY EXCITED AND SMILING AND YELLING AND CHANTING AS IF THEY WERE SEEING THEIR FAVORITE ARTIST PERFORM. SO THE FUTURE OF HBCU DAY, HOPEFULLY IS ALREADY IN THE WORKS. I KNOW THAT THE FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, THEY HAVE EMBRACED THIS EVENT, AND SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THIS CELEBRATION AND OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT WE'VE PARTNERED WITH NO EXCUSES, EXCUSES, COLLEGE TOURS. AND THEY PROVIDE AN ANNUAL COLLEGE TOUR FOR STUDENTS IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA TO TRAVEL TO THE SOUTH OR TO THE EAST. AND EXPLORE SOME OF THE EXCEPTIONAL OPTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE IF THEY WANT TO MATRICULATE AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. IT'S I'M NERVOUS, BUT THEN IT'S LIKE, I WANT IT. I WANT IT SO BAD. SO I'M I'M GONNA GET THERE. I'M GONNA WORK MYSELF TO GET THERE, PUSH MYSELF. I'M JUST GLAD WITHROW HIGH SCHOOL GOT GOT TO LET US EXPERIENCE THIS TODAY, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT HBCUS ARE LIKE. YOU KNOW. THANK YOU. WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THE PROGRAM TODAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF LET'S TALK CINCY. I'M CURTIS FULLER. HAVE A GOOD DAY AND A BETTER DAY TOMORROW.