The Prometheus Project has been in the works
since May 2001 and is sponsored by the Florida Humanities
Council in partnership with Valencia.
The project uses
the disciplines of the humanities to investigate the culture of
poverty in Central Florida. Their purpose is to create
future opportunities based on that investigation, according to
the website.
The Prometheus
Project, once called the Clement Project, began with John
Scolaro, Director of the Prometheus Project and Professor of
Humanities at West.
With the help
of advisory committee members and friends, the Prometheus
Project has helped "economically disadvantaged adults" receive a
college education and get off of the streets, Scolaro said.
"We implement
college-level courses for men and women who are classified as
the working poor and their annual income is below poverty level
for a family of four," said Scolaro.
The
organization goes to the Center for Drug-Free Living in Orlando,
the Coalition of the Homeless of Central Florida, and different
Rosen Hotels and Resorts located on International Drive in order
to reach out to those in need.
"We do to an environment that is familiar
to them because it's easier and that way there are no
transportation problems, childcare problems, or any other
incoveniences," Scolaro said.
Elizabeth Eschbach and David Sutton,
Advisory Committee members and Professors of Humanities at East,
have both taught college-level courses to economically
disadvantaged adults. The courses are seven weeks long and
students meet twice a week.
"We use the teaching method of dialogue in
order to interact with students and invite students to make
input into dialogue," Scolaro said.
"The exposure to the arts and humanities
helps people get a deeper sense of who they really are. We
have seen in work."
The organization helped Stephen B. Davis,
presently a student at East, according to the Prometheus Project
Web site.
:Having been through the experience of
having lost all that I held dear, I found myself on the streets
of Orlando," Davis said on the project's Web site.
:"My dreams had been shattered and my
direction in life appeared to be little more than a random and
senseless result of vanity."
In October 2002, I was fortunate enough to
attend the first session of the Clemente Course in the
Humanities. The project, sponsored by Valencia Community
College, has turned my life around.
The three most noticeable changes are:
An increase of self-worth, a more open sense of the
interconnectedness with my fellow man and a return to obtain my
degree," said Davis.
The organization's upcoming goal is to
create three different classes of student who will agree to
enroll at one of the Rosen Hotels, Coalition of the Homeless and
the Center for Drug-Free Living in January 2005 just in time for
session 2.
To apply for the Prometheus Project,
complete an application form and schedule an interview by
contacting John Scolaro at (407) 582-1469 or
jscolaro@valenciacc.edu
. The application and letter of interest must be completed
prior to the interview. For more information regarding the
Prometheus Project, visit their Web site
www.valenciacc.edu/clemente.
Participants in the Prometheus
Project must meet several requirements in order to qualify for
inclusion in the program. An applicant must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Be able to read a newspaper in
English
- Live in a household with income no
more than 150% of the poverty level
- Have a fervent desire to read,
study, and learn
- Make a commitment to doing the
assignments and completing the course
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