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CHURCH? WELL, TODAY, A NEW SCHOOL OFFICIALLY BROKE GROUND ON THE CAMPUS OF STILLMAN COLLEGE. I DREAM BIG. ACADEMY. CHARTER SCHOOL WILL GIVE STUDENTS UNIQUE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION. �������� 13 ZOE BLAIR REPORTS ON HOW THEY’RE TAKING A NEW APPROACH TO CHANGING LIVES. HARDHATS, SHOVELS AND DIRT. IT’S SOMETHING THIS AREA IS GOING TO BE SEEING A LOT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. BY AUGUST, THIS LAND BEHIND ME IS GOING TO BE HOME TO A FULLY FUNCTIONING SCHOOL. LUU. AFTER THAT, DIRT IS MOVED IN, CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETED. I DREAM BIG CHARTER SCHOOL WILL OPEN ITS DOORS TO STUDENTS GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT, EVENTUALLY EXPANDING TO THE 12TH GRADE. RACHEL ODOM GRIMES IS 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WILL JOIN THAT FIRST SIXTH GRADE CLASS. A DECISION SHE SAYS WAS A NO BRAINER. AS SOON AS I SAW THAT THEY WERE SIGNING UP PEOPLE, I WAS LIKE, YEAH, LET ME, LET ME TALK TO MY HUSBAND BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE FOR BRIA TO BE A PART OF BE A PART OF THIS. THE SCHOOL WILL OFFER COLLEGE LEVEL COURSES AND PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES. SEATED ON STILLMAN’S CAMPUS IS THE FIRST CHARTER SCHOOL HBCU PARTNERSHIP IN THE STATE. IT ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS TO, YOU KNOW, DEMYSTIFY THE IDEA THAT COLLEGE IS DIFFICULT OR THAT THEY CANNOT ATTAIN A COLLEGE DEGREE, BUT IT ALSO PUTS THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR COMMUNITY TO HELP THEM REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING COMMUNITY CENTERED. THAT COMMUNITY, THE WEST SIDE OF TUSCALOOSA, IS WHERE ODOM GRIMES GREW UP. AS THE CHILD OF TWO STILLMAN GRADUATES. SHE SAYS SHE’S PROUD TO SEE THIS NEEDED INVESTMENT SO CLOSE TO HOME, AND SHE HOPES THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. I THINK EVERYONE DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY, NO MATTER WHAT SIDE YOU LIVE ON, BUT IT’S DEFINITELY OVERLOOKED HERE AND I THINK THINGS ARE ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER AS THEY BRING, YOU KNOW, THIS NEW OPPORTUNITY TO THIS SIDE OF TOWN. I HOPE THAT MORE PEOPLE FOLLOW THROUGH AND HAVE THEIR KIDS TO COME, BUT ALSO OTHER BUSINESSES AS WELL, SO WE CAN BUILD IT BACK UP. THE NEW SCHOOL IS STILL ACCEPTING STUDENTS. IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO DREAM BIG, YOU CAN APPLY AT DREAM BIG CHARTER.COM.