UMES competes in HBCU Honda Campus All-Star Challenge
DELMARVA- April 12th was the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, where students from across the country competed for grant money. On the Eastern Shore, one of our very own Universities competed in the game, and their coach shares why activities like these are important.
College Campus Challenge
For generations, thousands of students, from hundreds of colleges have won millions of dollars in grants for HBCUs over the past 36 years. The HCASC-Honda Campus All-Star Challenge is known as America’s premier academic competition for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is one of 32 colleges that will compete and the only college representing Delmarva! UMES’s All Star Team Coach Earl Holland says he knows exactly what these students are up against.
“It adds a scholarly side to college, and I think everybody knows, you’re here to learn, you’re here to experience new things… As a student, 24-25 years ago I was involved in the program, I was part of the team, I was here representing UMES. So, to see another generation of young minds, young scholars, show what they know, just show their knowledge is important no matter what point of life you’re in.”
Education Evolution
Education has been a struggle for the Black community. From not being allowed to read or write, being forced to attend segregated schools, and then having to create Historically Black Colleges and University’s or HBCUs to give African Americans access to higher education at a time when no one wanted to.
The Department of education works closely with HBCUs and provides numerous grants and scholarships for students. President Trump has said he has plan surrounding education. “It sounds strange, doesn’t it? Department of Education, we’re going to eliminate it, and everybody knows it’s right…”
Holland is Hopeful
Holland says it’s times like these where they want to show the world how important their education is to them, and to show the world what they know. “We had a tournament in February, where they take some of the top teams out of each division. So, we’re going to be facing the schools like Howard, and Morehouse.”
Holland says, he’s hopeful. “We were national runner up in 2004 my junior year, so we’ve been very close… We’re hoping that this next group of scholars either this year or next year in the future, will be the ones to really knock my team off the top from back then in UMES history.”
The school who wins will relieve a grand prize of 100,000 dollars in grant money, we look forward to hearing how well UMES fared in the All-Star competition.
