Jarell Anderson. Photograph: Bruce Weller for the Open Society Foundations
As a child, Jarrell Anderson had grown-up responsibilities.
His parents abused drugs, leaving himâa middle-schoolerâin charge of his younger siblings.
âI had to get up to feed my brother and sister, make sure they took a bath, and sometimes, find them babysitters so I could go to school,â says Jarrell. âSometimes, my parents would disappear for weeks and I had to worry about where our next meal was coming from or how the light bill was going to get paid.â
Not surprisingly, Jarrell had very little interest in paying attention or doing his work in school.
âI didnât have the same childhood that everyone else had,â he says. âSometimes I would go hang out with my friends and get in trouble. Sometimes I wouldnât come back until the next morning. In school, it affected me in a lot of ways. Sometimes I would just be so tired, I couldnât stay awake in class. I acted out a lot, got suspended numerous times. I had a lot of anger inside of me.â
After the one constant in Jarrellâs lifeâhis grandmotherâdied, things went from bad to worse. The family moved around from place to place, and Jarrell felt more lost and overwhelmed than ever before.
âI was looking for something to get involved with that would keep me away from home,â he says.
Luckily, in the 10th grade, a teacher suggested that because of his âmouth and attitude,â he might do well to join the Baltimore Urban Debate League, which had only recently gotten started at Walbrook High School.
Why not, he thought. Itâs something to do.
So he tried debateâand was forever changed.
"I loved the fact that you could get up and talk and at that moment you were the only one that mattered; everything that you had to say was listened to,â he says. âAs a young adult, all I ever wanted was just my personal space and a voice for myself.â
Debate provided that space for Jarrell and for the thousands of other Baltimore City youth who have participated in the program since its inception twelve years ago.
âBy giving them the tools and the gift of their own voiceâhelping them realize they have the ability to change the things in their own livesâdebate helps to change lives,â says Pamela Block, executive director of BUDL.
New, independent research shows that students who participate in debate achieve at higher levels than their fellow students, attend school more often, and pursue higher education at greater rates.
Jarrellâs life is a testament to just that.
After participating in BUDL and being mentored by a caring, supportive coach, Jarrell improved his grades, graduated in the top 10 percent of his class at Walbrook and went on to graduate from Georgia State University.
âI think itâs the questioning you do in debate that gets you involved in your academics,â says Jarrell. âYou get immersed in the information. It makes you start wanting to do better, write better, read better, speak better.â
It also gave him the tools he needed to adopt a newâand independentâway of thinking.
âIt was hard some days to hear my mother screaming and crying for me to stay home with her,â he says now. âShe didnât want me to leave her and go to school. I think the debate training helped me because it taught me to look at both sides of an argument. So I started to understand that there was another way to look at what was happening in my life and that I had choices. And so I had to choose to go to school.â
The training also encouraged Jarrell to leave all that he knew in Baltimore to go to college, despite many members of his family being âa bunch of naysayers.â
âSome people say, âI want to get an education,ââ he says. âI said, âI had to.ââ
College transformed him into âa totally different person,â Jarrell says, and gave him a strong determination to give back.
So after six years away, Jarrell accepted a position as elementary/middle school program coordinator for an organization he knows well: The Baltimore Urban Debate League.
In that position, he is helping BUDL bring debate into the lives of children who are about the same age he was when life was a blur of chaos and trauma.
âIâve been through so much; I just wanted to make sure that young people had the things that I had,â he says, such as a mentor, coach, and an education. âDebate gave me all those things. And now I see the changes in myself and I want to help other kids take advantage of the gifts theyâve been given.â
The Baltimore Urban Debate League, an organization incubated by the Open Society InstituteâBaltimore, engages Baltimore public school students in after-school debate training, independent research activities, debate team practice sessions, and monthly competitive policy debate tournaments.
Modeled after debate programs the Open Society Foundations launched internationally, the Baltimore Urban Debate League started out 12 years ago in 8 of the toughest high schools in Baltimoreâs school system. Today it is the largest academic after-school program in the city, with programs in 35 high schools, 25 middle schools, and even some elementary schools.
Customer Service Representative
Career Information Center, 9th ed.
January 1, 2007 Customer Service Representative Education and Training: High school Salary: Median?ÂÂ$27,020 per year Employment Outlook: Very good Definition and Nature of the Work Companies hire customer service representatives to be the first point of contact for customers who have problems or questions about a product or service. Customer service representatives are usually provided with the means to answer the most basic questions. At a phone service company, for instance, a customer service representative is typically stationed in front of a computer that allows him or her to see a customer's account. When a customer calls, the representative is able to answer basic questions about the customer's balance, update the customer's information, or sign the customer up for new services. If a customer calls with a more complicated question, perhaps involving erroneous charges, the representative will route the customer's call to a specialist who can help them. site customer service representative
Those customer service representatives who work in phone banks are typically monitored by supervisors to ensure that the representatives are helpful and answer questions quickly. Those representatives who work in branch offices and stores may be required to perform other duties, such as make photocopies or keep the office or store clean. Customer service representatives can be found in just about any business, including electronics manufacturers, clothing stores, hospitals, and even produce suppliers. Wherever they work, customer service agents are required to be polite and maintain their poise even when confronted with an irate customer.
Education and Training Requirements Many companies prefer applicants who are high school graduates. Applicants should have basic computer skills and be able to type. Companies will usually train customer service representatives on how to deal with customer questions and how to use the computer and phone systems. Training typically lasts several weeks. In some instances, such as with an electronics store, the customer service representative has an advantage in landing the job if they know something about the products being sold. customerservicerepresentativenow.com customer service representative
Intelligence, a pleasant personality, and a neat appearance can be more important for the job than a formal education. A customer service agent must be patient and enjoy working with people.
Getting the Job A student's high school placement office may be able to help him or her find a position as a customer service representative. Jobs may be listed with state and private employment agencies, on Internet job sites, and in the classified ads of local newspapers. If prospective workers are interested in a government job, they should apply to take the necessary civil service test.
Advancement Possibilities and Employment Outlook Customer service representatives can go on to become supervisors of customer service. In a branch office or store, they can often go on to become a store manager. With a college degree they may even rise to a job in product development or human resources.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2.1 million people were employed as customer service representatives in the United States in 2004. One quarter of all customer service representatives were employed in the finance and insurance industries. Employment of customer service agents was expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2014. Because of the expansion of the professional and information service industries in the United States, many new jobs will be created. The high turnover rate of customer service representatives will also ensure ample job opportunities. Because people like to voice their concerns and questions to other people, office automation will not likely have too negative of an impact on the field.
Working Conditions Customer service representatives usually stand or sit behind a counter in stores or office branches, and conditions can vary depending on the store. Customer service representatives who work in phone banks usually sit in clean, well-lit office spaces at a desk or a cubicle. Phone banks that receive a high volume of calls can be noisy. Because customer service representatives typically spend all day at a computer, they are susceptible to eye strain, back problems, and injuries such as carpel tunnel syndrome.
Where to Go for More Information Office and Professional Employees International Union 265 W. 14th St., 6th Fl.
New York, NY 10011 (800) 346-7348 Earnings and Benefits The size and location of the customer service representative's employer affects earnings. Customer service representatives earned a median salary of $27,020 per year in 2004, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those who worked for an insurance carrier earned a median salary of $29,790 per year, and those who worked for a business support service earned a median salary of $21,390 per year. Most customer service representatives receive benefits that include paid vacations and holidays as well as health insurance.
The Orchard Celebrates the Release of Mojo Nixon's Latest Album.
Health & Beauty Close-Up November 1, 2009 In support and celebration of the release of Mojo Nixon's latest album "Whiskey Rebellion," The Orchard, a full service media company specializing in the distribution of music and video entertainment, on October 6 announced that Mojo's entire catalog would be available to download at no cost, exclusively from Amazon MP3. amazon promotional code
Since this announcement, The Orchard reported that the promotion has led to more than one million downloads of Mojo's music. The downloads were available at amazon.com/mojo until October 28th.
"The successful execution of this promotion has generated tremendous awareness for Mojo," said Brad Navin, EVP and General Manager of The Orchard. "This is a showcase of how The Orchard, as a nimble and forward-thinking company, has the ability to orchestrate trendsetting promotions for our clients. The success of this promotion will be measured by its long-term benefits, not the short-term risks, and our expectation is that it will generate sales momentum." Mojo Nixon's current catalog includes 11 albums and 144 tracks. The downloads for this music during the two weeks of the Amazon promotional period amounted to a 23,000 percent increase from paid downloads across all digital retail networks in the United States during the first half of 2009. this web site amazon promotional code
Mojo Nixon is currently a full-time on-air personality on Sirius XM Satellite radio hosting a daily music show on the Outlaw Country channel, a weekly political talk show on the Raw Dog Comedy Channel and a weekly racing show on the NASCAR channel.
((Comments on this story may be sent to health@closeupmedia.com))
Stay Informed
Great article! As a former BUDL debater, I know the value of education and the important role my coaches played in my life. Without BUDL, I probably would not have went to college, and for that, I am forever grateful.
Continue to uplift the community and remain a positive constant in the youth of Baltimore.
As a former UDL debate coach, I know first hand of hundreds of students just like Darrell. I wish all of them could have that "caring,supportive coach".
I wish even more that the Kansas City Missouri School District, that had a great UDL program, would pull their collective head out of the sand and realize that the pittance they gave Debate Kansas City helped more students than the millions they spent on a new reading program every year.
Jane Rinehart
retired from KC Central High School
featured in Joe Miller's book Cross X
now teaching in Prishtina, Kosova
So great an initiative. It would be so appropriate for a country like mine, Kenya , which is faced with so many man made problems like tribalism and corruption as well as many others issues which would help the young develop great minds, be great listeners, speakers as well as agitators for the society's well being.Keep up the good work.
It pains my heart, to know that I was one of the privileged and lucky students to find debate. It was this activity that had prepped me and made me ( and good friend Jarrell) more equipped with the tools to defeat the odds produced from public inner city schools. I cannot thank Jane Rinehart for the gifts she introduced to me (and countless other students) and; the guidance that she gave during the four years I knew her, as my debate coach. Without her involvement with friends and family members, I would not be the slightest role model today for other living lost souls who do not see any other options outside from misery and plight. It's the cycles of contributions that can leave long lasting ramifications on our society and our teaching practices. It's just a matter of how many folks being apart of that system to prompt more equitable behaviors to help inner city students.