Vision for their future and clarity on our past, that's what organizers hope attendees will gain from the tour. No, it's not a sports team, traveling choir, or trendy new band. Instead, this tour will take 18 students and nine chaperones to visit six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in four states.

Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Wentzville, Missouri is sponsoring the tour, and has spent the last year preparing for the event. Preparation has included mandatory classes for the students on everything from grades, finance, and networking, to character, integrity, public speaking, and ACT/PSAT preparation. Along with classes, there has been fund raising- lots of fund raising. There were Sunday dinners, raffles, and socials. The group also tapped into community events such as parking at the Family Arena in St. Charles, and Wendy's® night in which the local restaurant donated a percentage of sales to the tour. In addition, students had to raise $500 to cover their portion of the trip.

The leased bus left Wentzville Monday, July 13 and will return on Saturday, July 18. "We know this is a lofty schedule," said Karen Mitchell church member and one of the tour's organizers, "but we wanted the kids to get the most exposure and open their minds to the opportunities that HBCUs offer."

Many of the six organizers attended similar tours in their pre-college days. "I remember what it did for me," recounts Ray Turnley, "it opened my mind about possibilities for me and my future that literally altered my life and where I was headed at the time."

Thomas Mitchell Sr. first approached the Pastor of Hopewell with the idea. "I knew what it did for me and I wanted to make sure that not only my sons had that experience, but also the great group of young people here at Hopewell. The tour will expand their self concept and vision of their future while they explore post secondary education options."

In addressing the group before departure, Hopewell's Pastor Rodney O. Bozeman Sr. said "I commend the leadership of this tour for their vision, diligent work, and flexibility in the year-long planning it took to make this day possible. Hopewell is pleased to sponsor such an event that will, no doubt, have a lasting impact on the lives of our young adults who will in turn impact our community. The church has always been a green house of leadership; this tour is just anther way to expand on that concept." Pastor Bozeman closed his address with prayers of thanks and safety (and sanity or the long bus ride).

The tour will visit Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, and Spellman in Atlanta, Georgia, Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach and Florida A&M in Tallahassee, and Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Hopewell has its own rich history. Established in 1858 by freed slaves, Hopewell is one of the oldest churches in Wentzville and St. Charles County. History buffs recall that the Civil War occurred from 1861- 1865. So, Hopewell's start by freed slaves prior to the Civil War makes its own remarkable historical statement. Organizers of the HMBC tour want to build on the students' understanding of African-American contributions to the nation's infrastructure.

Family and friends can follow the tour at www.facebook.com/hbcu.tour. For more information on HBCU's role in education, visit the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities at <http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/list/whhbcu/edlite-index.html>.

Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church

1140 East Highway N, Wentzville, MO 63385

http://www.hopewellmissionarybaptistchurch.com/