By Aaron Maassen
MU
Homecoming Queen Kam Phillips’ Dream Outside the Box project placed sixth in
the White House’s Champions of Change Challenge last month. In making the top
15, Phillips earned the opportunity to present the program at the White House
and meet President Barack Obama on Saturday, April 14, 2012.
This was the first year the competition took place. The challenge
focuses on shining a light on the positive contributions of young people to
inspire others to do the same, according
to a statement from President Barack Obama on the program’s website.
Phillips started Dream Outside the Box in 2009 to show Columbia youth
something new as a part of a project in the chancellor’s leadership class. The
goal of the program is “to expose youth with lower resources to new and exciting
endeavors in order to show them the world that lies beyond rap and
stereotypical sports,” according to the organization’s website.
“I
grew up in a non-stereotypical background, so I did horseback riding and rodeo,
so I had all these kinds of experiences that these kids don’t have access to. I
wanted to bring this idea that you can really truly do anything,” Phillips, a Fort
Worth, Texas native said.
Dream
Outside the Box has always been staffed by college student volunteers.
“[The
program works] because it is run by college students. We are still dreaming and
realizing what we want to be and we can relate this to the younger kids because
we were once in their spots,” volunteer Christopher Atkinson said.
“It’s
volunteers who really care about the kids and kids [that] really care about the
volunteers in return,” Phillips said.
The
program is unique because it shows a different perspective on career options to
the youth. Columbia’s youth participate in improvisation shows, theater, archery,
farming activities, and lacrosse.
“The
kids got to the field, thought we were going to play football and then their whole
mindset shifted when they realized we were going to do lacrosse,” Phillips
said. “Literally, they did not want to leave the field once we got going.”
Getting
the kids involved in different programs exposed volunteers to new experiences
as well.
“We
went to a cow farm, an alpaca farm. I have never been to one of those so it was
a great experience. [I got] to the milk the cows and see how the farm works on
a day-to-day basis,” Atkinson said.
The
kids try different and new activities every Wednesday. One day, the kids used
art supplies in an “Invention Convention.” The winning inventions included a
robot dog and a television/microwave combo, for the lazy American.
The
program has expanded since its 2009 start, adding Dance Outside the Box at the Missouri
Contemporary Ballet and Bigger Dreams, Brighter Futures for teens.
Bigger
Dreams, Brighter Futures began in September 2011. It is aimed at exposing teens
to their real options in college, with SAT Prep and additional counseling.
Dance Outside the Box, launched a month earlier in August, aimed at exposing
under privileged youth to “long-term development in the fine arts,” according
to Phillips.
Volunteers
put countless hours into helping with the program. However, the director, Kam
Phillips is its heart, according to Atkinson.
“She
is very enthusiastic,” Atkinson said. “[Kam] is really, really willing to work
with the kids, and help them, and seeing their goals, and helping them
achieve.”
“The
children really truly drive me,” Phillips said. “When I have a kid come up to
me and say ‘Ms. Kam, I really do think I want to be an engineer now.’ I could
never stop.”
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