Work Study Making a Full Circle

Clarence Howard and Floyd Russell

Take a look at this picture.

The 39-year-old man, Clarence Howard, is the Manager of Mission Integration for Ascension Illinois. He works in hospital-community relations oversight. One of the hospitals he helps manage is St. Mary and St. Elizabeth's Hospital, in Chicago.

Mr. Howard is also a Cornerstone Academy graduate (class of 2001).

The young man, Floyd Russell, is a senior at Cornerstone Academy. He is doing a Work-Study internship at St. Mary and St. Elizabeth's Hospital. Mr. Howard set this Work-Study position up for Floyd.

Mr. Howard is, so to speak, returning the favor he received nearly two decades ago - as he had been mentored, he is now mentoring young-man Floyd.

Some 22 years ago Clarence Howard had to hold a 3-month job in order to graduate from Cornerstone Academy. It was, and still is, a graduation requirement. He worked transporting patients at West Suburban Hospital, in Oak Park.

West Suburban Hospital loved Clarence Howard back in 1999, and they kept offering him training and promotions. His hospital internship became more than a high school graduation requirement: it became Mr. Howard's career.

And so, again, he is returning the favor: he is training 18-year-old Mr. Russell in a health care profession.

Mentoring is infectious. Education is infectious.

Please consider donating to Cornerstone Academy this Spring -- and help spread the "infection."

Very truly yours,

Jim Wilkes
Principal

P.S.: There is a Spring Matching Gift of $5,000. Each dollar raised will be matched up through June 30th.