Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo (Promise).
September 13, 2012 7:16 PM Subscribe
Kalamazoo: among other things, the southwest Michigan town is a place where one formerly might've had a gal, or maybe it's something one can twang a rhythm on. Today, thanks to the anonymous donors behind the Kalamazoo Promise, it's also the city that pays for college for every graduating high school senior that went to school there for at least four years.
The New York Times' extended profile of the Kalamazoo Promise runs through a brief history of the city -- former home to the Checker Cab Company, Gibson Guitars (as noted by John Fogerty & co.), and some guy named Derek Jeter that, uh, gets some press in the local NY papers.
In more recent decades, after many of its foundation businesses (auto plants, pharmaceuticals, paper mills) folded or left town, rust belt decay set in. But (as outlined in the profile), the Promise appears to be driving a real community-wide effort to provide other educational and community resources.
The Promise hasn't been a panacea, but it has provided college tuition for several thousand students and inspired similar programs in a number of other cities.
Whether the program ultimately achieves the donors' long-term goal -- economic development for Kalamazoo as a whole -- remains to be seen, but there have been hopeful signs.
[Previously]
The New York Times' extended profile of the Kalamazoo Promise runs through a brief history of the city -- former home to the Checker Cab Company, Gibson Guitars (as noted by John Fogerty & co.), and some guy named Derek Jeter that, uh, gets some press in the local NY papers.
In more recent decades, after many of its foundation businesses (auto plants, pharmaceuticals, paper mills) folded or left town, rust belt decay set in. But (as outlined in the profile), the Promise appears to be driving a real community-wide effort to provide other educational and community resources.
The Promise hasn't been a panacea, but it has provided college tuition for several thousand students and inspired similar programs in a number of other cities.
Whether the program ultimately achieves the donors' long-term goal -- economic development for Kalamazoo as a whole -- remains to be seen, but there have been hopeful signs.
[Previously]
This post was deleted for the following reason: This post is delightful but way after the other one. Can you include it in a comment there? Bonus: if you've got personal faves that might be too friendlinky to put in an FPP, they'll be fine [properly indicated] in a comment! -- jessamyn
Gyah. And, of course, I somehow miss the warnings that this link was posted to the FP while I was putting this together.
Mods, do what you must!
posted by theoddball at 7:17 PM on September 13, 2012
Mods, do what you must!
posted by theoddball at 7:17 PM on September 13, 2012
Missed it by *that* much!
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:21 PM on September 13, 2012
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:21 PM on September 13, 2012
In case the meaning of CCR's lyric "Poorboy twangs the rhythm out on his kalamazoo" is still a mystery, it's in reference to the Gibson Kalamazoo Electric Guitar.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:24 PM on September 13, 2012
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:24 PM on September 13, 2012
D'oh! Now I see you'd included that info below the fold, theoddball.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:25 PM on September 13, 2012
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:25 PM on September 13, 2012
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posted by theoddball at 7:16 PM on September 13, 2012