(HARTFORD) - The Capitol Region Education Council (CREC)’s Open Choice Program (formerly Project Concern) celebrated 46 years of providing life-changing opportunities to Hartford children and families at an Anniversary-Reunion held at the Governor’s Residence on February 28, 2012. The Open Choice reunion brought 21 program alumni and 24 special guests, many of whom were pivotal in the growth and success of the program.

The evening included remarks by the program’s Director, Debra Borrero and CREC’s Executive Director, Dr. Bruce Douglas, followed by a look back on the history of Open Choice with CREC’s former Executive Director, John J. Allison Jr., and the founder of Project Concern, Trude Johnson-Mero. The evening concluded with networking, commemorations, and a presentation by the current Program Manager of Open Choice and Open Choice Parent, Riberia Jones.

Alumni reflected on how involvement in the program has impacted their lives. “Without participating in the program, I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I have had to expand my mind. I learned that I could do anything I put my mind to accomplishing,” explained Concetta Lewis, Open Choice West Hartford graduate, 1976. “The Project Concern program allowed me to let others know that African Americans have something to offer too!”

Tyasha Adams, graduate of the Open Choice West Hartford program in 1993, explained how the program has benefitted her and her family. “Without participating in the program, I would never have met wonderful longtime friends and had a great experience. I also passed the same opportunity to my three children who are currently in the program.”

In 1966, Project Concern began operating in Hartford, CT. Faced with public school problems, the city decided to bus some children to schools in surrounding suburban towns. Educational and civic leaders believed the schools offered opportunities for city students to become familiar with the mainstream middle class American society and to raise academic achievement. The program, managed by the Hartford Board of Education, originally bused 260 children to five suburban towns.

In 1989, the Sheff vs. O’Neill lawsuit charged that Connecticut’s system of separate city and suburban school districts led to racially segregated schools and was a violation of Hartford children’s rights to equal opportunity. As a result of the case, Project Concern became part of the statewide Open Choice Program in 1997 and is now funded by the State of Connecticut.
Today, the Hartford Region Open Choice program has approximately 1,500 students enrolled in 135 schools and 29 towns, including suburban students who attend schools in Hartford. The program is managed by the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC).

CREC was established in 1966. Working with and for its member districts, CREC has developed a wide array of cost-effective and high-quality programs and services to meet the educational needs of children and adults in the region. CREC regularly serves 36 towns in Greater Hartford, offering more than 120 programs to over 155,000 students annually. CREC manages more than 30 facilities throughout the area, including 15 interdistrict magnet schools.
For more information about the Open Choice program, please visit the CREC website at www.crec.org/choice.

Left to Right: Dr. Bruce Douglas, CREC Executive Director; Debra Borrero, CREC Director of Choice Programs; Ms. Trude Johnson-Mero, Project Concern Founder; Riberia Jones, Open Choice Program Manager; John Allison, CREC Founder and Former Executive Director

Terrell Green - Plainville, 1979; His son, Jalen Green - 6th Grader at Gideon Wells School in Glastonbury; His daughter, Janelle Green - 9th grader at Glastonbury High School; Shawn Wooden - Manchester 1987 and the Hartford City Council President

Left to Right: Marcia Clark - West Hartford, 1974, her daughter graduated from South Windsor High in 1999 and her son graduated south Windsor High in 2000; Marcia’s cousin, Zazzarro DeCarish - Plainville, 1983; Concetta Lewis - West Hartford, 1976

Tyasha Adams - West Hartford 1993