Initiative Aims to 'Make Smart Sexy Again'

ON A MISSION — The "5 Million Kids" campaign, a project of Operation Hope, seeks to rebrand education through its "Making Smart Cool and Sexy" campaign. The initiative seeks to keep 5 million children from dropping out of high school by reaching them through financial literacy and entrepreneurship. On the right, pictured, left to right: actors Tyrese Gibson and Robert Davi; Quincy Jones; Quincy Jones III; Operation Hope executive Rod McGrew, Operation Hope founder John Bryant.

Justin Timberlake sings about bringing sexy back, but where was it in the first place?

According to the 5 Million Kids (5MK) Initiative sponsored by Operation Hope, sexy was shacking up with high school dropout rates.

In an effort to combat this relationship, Los Angeles-based non-profit Operation Hope launched its 5MK initiative Sept. 29 at Bret Harte Preparatory Middle School in South Los Angeles. Its major theme: Make smart sexy again.

The California Department of Education reports that the dropout rate for the 2007-08 school year was roughly 20 percent.

As part of the initiative, organizers plan to provide children with financial literacy in hopes to curb dropout rates, not only in California, but across the nation.

Operation Hope's effort is multifaceted, aiming to use financial literacy, positive role models, free enterprise and capitalism, among other concepts, to encourage youth to stay in school and become successful.

The five main objectives to the 5MK initiative are the following:

• Teach financial literacy to 5 million kids and their parents

• Increase role models and grassroots leaders for youth

• Help open starter savings accounts for youth

• Secure $50 million in Earned Income Tax Credit for parents and teachers

• Open 50,000 new bank accounts for the "unbanked" and "under-banked."

"There are some elected officials that aren't here today," John Hope Bryant, founder and chief executive officer of Operation Hope, told children gathered for the launch event.

Bryant impressed upon the students that the initiative has some impressive backers, including civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young, Quincy Jones, who serves as a co-chair of the initiative, and Quincy Jones III, who has signed on as digital chair. Other supporters included former Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent David Brewer; the Rev. Cecil "Chip" Murray, former pastor of First AME Church; Ramon Cortines, current LAUSD superintendent; Jack O'Connell, state superintendent of public instruction; actor Tyrese Gibson; and several others.

Union Bank and America's Promise Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based partnership that pushes youth to complete their schooling and do well in life, are also supporters.

While spreading financial literacy seems on the surface as a simple enough task, it is a big dream and "includes everyone: parents, teachers, kids, administrators, and the community," said Bret Harte Principal Lester Davidson.

5MK plans to launch in 15 more cities, including Chicago and Atlanta.

Eighth-grade Algebra teacher James Hustace said he was concerned that his students may receive mixed messages.

"A couple (of) kids make it out of the 'hood," Hustace said. "Not many of them can be Tyreses. I am not doubting or wanting 5MK to be unsuccessful; I just don't want them to be blind-sided by the money and miss out on all the other information there is to be learned while at school."

Jeffrey Johnson, celebrity ambassador for Operation Hope, told attendees that the true success of the initiative is "about whose hand it is in."

"Will you use your hands to achieve or will you sit on them?" he said. "With all our hands together we can do more."

Lauren Foster is a writer for the L.A. Watts Times.

Photo by Ian Foxx; 5MK logo from www.5millionkids.org

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