‘We’re trying here at Lake Orion High School to make our students more worldly,? said Dragon Guided Activities Program (GAP) Coordinator Ben Gerdeman.
Gerdeman’s goal has been assisted the last few years by the Generation of Promise Program, of which he is the school’s liaison.
Lake Orion is one of 16 schools involved in the program, which gives juniors a unique year-long experience dealing with the extended community that makes up the metro Detroit area.
‘Our school is the farthest away,? said junior Max Hock, one of four Lake Orion students involved in Generation of Promise this year.
Hock estimated there are between 50- 60 students participating in the program, including his classmates Ari Ginez, Elizabeth Gray and Brianna Peterson.
‘The whole goal of the program is to promote diversity and produce future leaders,? Hock said.
In addition, the Generation of Promise website notes that the program raises students? ‘understanding of metropolitan Detroit and gives them sustained interaction with students of different backgrounds.?
‘I have gotten to attend a synagogue, eat Bosnian food, attend an inner-city school and do so many more new things that I would have never experienced otherwise,? said Peterson.
Gerdeman, who is the former program director for Generation of Promise, said bringing the experiences of the four LOHS students back to their peers is very valuable.
‘What they offer to their fellow LOHS students really opens a lot of eyes,? he said.
Gerdeman also said that most Generation of Promise participants from LOHS are also involved with the school’s cultural outreach program, giving them another valuable avenue to share their experiences.
‘I think this program has encouraged me to branch out in my involvement of different clubs and activities with new groups of people that I may not have even thought to participate in before,? noted Peterson.
The Generation of Promise meets once a day every month of the school year, including a weekend long retreat in August and a few special programs that are sprinkled in along the way.
‘Every month there is a different theme,? said Hock, who noted that the Cultural Diversity Day, Critical Issues session and Urban/Suburban Exploration focus groups were among his favorite activities.
He said that the large group would usually break down into smaller groups of about 12 students and then come back and share their experiences at the end of the day.
Hock also spent a day at Berkley High School and noticed some big differences.
‘This program has shown me that everyone is different and that leaders need to have a broad perspective,? Hock said.
Gerdeman said the four LOHS students were picked from a pretty extensive application process, including recommendation letters and a grade point average requirement.
‘I’ve been involved every year I’ve been here,? Gerdeman said. ‘It’s a great experience for everyone involved.?