A new scholarship is changing the narrative at North Division High School

_{Jason Newsom (left w/ peace sign), pictured with two friends and school counselor LaTasha Willingham (center)}

When Jason Newsom was a freshman entering North Division High School, he devised a plan: don’t engage. Even though his older brother had already attended school there and enjoyed the experience, Jason had heard too many discouraging stories about the school in the news. North Division wasn’t at the top of his list because it is located in Milwaukee’s 53206 zip code, an area infamous for having the highest incarceration rate for Black men in America. As a young Black man feeling surrounded by potential danger, he implemented his don’t engage strategy: “When I came to North, I had no plan on talking to anybody or anything. I was just going to do my work and go.”

What he didn’t anticipate was that his view of North Division would improve once he removed some armor and opened himself to the school’s family-like atmosphere. “The teachers went out of their way to talk to me and make me come out of my shell. I realized I was missing out on so much because these people are great, both staff and the students. I gained a family here and my whole friend group.” Despite the systemic challenges faced by the school and students, there was a shared understanding which allowed Jason to thrive. “The school community gave me resources that I didn’t know I needed. It’s easier to relate to people here because they’re from similar backgrounds and neighborhoods as me. It’s the culture.”

Soon, Jason abandoned his don’t engage strategy and joined the student council to get more involved. Many new meaningful connections motivated him, particularly the relationship formed with Mr. Derrick Shoates, the school’s community coordinator. “He showed me how to be in an environment, how to carry myself, and how to make an impact so that North is better. I worked on many initiatives to change the school with him.” Mr. Shoates also became the consistent male role model that Jason had always longed for—as his father was frequently in jail. “Mr. Shoates really took his time with me and taught me how to talk to people. I appreciate him for that.”Eventually, Newsom joined the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SSAC), which comprises student representatives from each district high school. The SSAC is tasked with advocating for all students and creating meaningful dialogue between students and the Superintendent.

It’s hard to imagine what Jason Newsom’s story would be if he hadn’t opened both heart and mind to what was possible at North Division and continued trying to hide himself. Who would he have become today?

Certainly not a community-minded philanthropist.

But that is exactly the title Jason Newsom has earned creating the “Changing the Narrative Annual Scholarship Fund” specifically for North Division High School seniors in collaboration with the school’s counselor and fellow MPS Alumna, LaTasha Willingham. Newsom and Ms. Willingham will each give one $500 scholarship to applicants with demonstrated involvement in extracurricular activities, a written personal statement, and a letter of recommendation.

Unlike many other scholarships, the Changing the Narrative requires no GPA to apply. Why? When scholarship application time came around, Jason realized his own GPA often barred him from the same opportunities as his friends, but his heart immediately broke for others instead of focusing on personal disappointment. “How are these other kids feeling? Because I know I’m not the only one who has had hardships or faced something difficult through school.” Jason knew that only helping them would fulfill him. “It’s so tough when you see all your friends getting all these great scholarships, and you can’t relate because your GPA ain’t on the same level. Even though they’re necessary, I feel GPAs shouldn’t be as pushed. I want to make kids feel like the opportunity is for everybody—they can get scholarships just like their friends and have something to brag about.”

And for Auntie Tasha, it was not just a matter of helping to fulfill one beloved student’s ambition; she got involved for bigger reasons—changing the narrative of North Division High School. “When I got the position here, people were like, ‘Oh no, no, you need to go somewhere else!’ But I felt okay with it, and I actually love it here. It’s the first real, traditional high school I’ve worked at. We have staff and students doing amazing things, and this new scholarship is one of them. The students don’t get the same opportunities as other schools, and they need loving and caring people who show up for them. I want to be a part of the change here and in the world. I’m giving to the community, to this school, and to the students.”

The scholarship was also part of a grander scheme for Jason, “What can be my big bang before I leave school? I really was focused on that, I’m not gonna lie. Starting a scholarship was the thing I could do that also creates a legacy for me and my classmates. My main goal now is to start a nonprofit that gives back to the community that’s given so much and made me the man I am now.”

Jason Newsom is currently a first-year student at Milwaukee Area Technical College majoring in Human Services. He regularly returns to NDHS as a volunteer.

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Are you interested in joining Jason and LaTasha in supporting the Change the Narrative Scholarship? Contribute directly to the scholarship fund here and select “Change the Narrative Scholarship” from the dropdown menu.