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A Push Toward Education: Southwest Hosts Operation Push Foundation

jhamlett
Explorer C

push2Walk through the door of Umphrey Lee Elementary School, and you know you’re in a special place.  The Principle, Tondolyn Mosley, and staff have created a warm, safe, and inspiring environment in an area of Dallas that could use a lot more of that.  I became involved with Umphrey Lee through Adopt-A-Pilot and met a very special member of the community named Daiquari Wilson, who’s making a big difference there through Operation Push Foundation (OPF). OPF is a non-profit organization targeting young men between the ages of 10-14 that encourages an early start on collegiate preparation and entrepreneurial development.  During a visit to Umphrey Lee, I heard Daiquari speak.  I was inspired by Daiquari’s story, his vision, and his commitment to touching the lives of young men in the neighborhood where he was raised. Daiquari grew up in Oak Cliff.  He attended Umphrey Lee as a child, and his family still lives in the neighborhood.  From a young age, Daiquari realized that he wanted to give back to his community by giving hope to the disadvantaged, giving young men something to aspire to, and encouraging them to pursue their dreams.  After taking his younger sister and her best friend on a campus tour of University of Houston and seeing the impact the tour had on their aspirations, Daiquari was inspired to form the Operation Push Foundation. push3After graduating college and earning a successful career in the Banking and Insurance industry, Daiquari decided that it was time to give back.  He returned to Umphrey Lee Elementary, his alma mater, and adopted the school, seeking to give hope to the young fifth graders through OPF. Once a month during the school year, OPF takes at least 24 boys selected by their teacher or principal on an educational field trip.  These field trips expose the youth to higher learning and career opportunities and make a positive difference in their lives by showing them possible aspirations.  I was thrilled to be able to help Daiquari set up one of those events with Southwest Airlines in April.push4 We were able to set up tours of Dispatch, Maintenance, and Flight Training to introduce the Operation Push kids to a few different departments at Southwest.  Then, we broke into small groups to hear from Southwest Employees (Tim Leonard, Gregg Brown, Durand Crutchfield, and Rick Dalton) about their expertise and how they made their way to a career at Southwest. I was impressed with the group’s attentiveness and good questions, and I loved seeing their eyes light up with excitement as they sat in the cockpit of a plane and saw what it takes to monitor air traffic. Daiquari later told me that as the group was leaving in the afternoon, one boy looked up at him and said, “This is the best day of my life.”  That is what OPF is about—giving kids a chance to experience something new and to be inspired. I was honored to be a part of the day and the incredibly worthwhile organization.