In 2005 when the Blake Road Corridor, a one mile by one-half mile area, became the spot of 20 percent of crime in Hopkins, even though it is only four percent of the cities overall population, the organization called the Blake Road Corridor Collaborative or the BRCC was started.

An initiative was set up, with members from the Police Force, School District and various residents to implement programs to develop and improve this community according to Community Action Plan for the Blake Road Neighborhood.

Senior Spencer Anderson has made it his mission to contribute to this cause.

“I tutor about 30 Somali children who live on this road,” Anderson said. “I help them with their homework and we play educational games.”

Anderson said his passion for the work he does has grown over time.

“I started because my mom had a friend who helped there and she thought it would be a good way to do community service,” Anderson said. “However, it has turned into much more than that.”

Anderson said his twice a week, two hour sessions have made him view the world differently.

“I take it pretty seriously. It is very important to teach and empower kids that are disadvantaged. If I am helping them excel, I am helping the country excel as a whole. Just because they have come from a place of less opportunity, doesn’t mean they are any less vital,” Anderson said. “Some of them come from little to nothing which actually makes them want to take full advantage of learning.”

Anderson said he has been working with the kids of Blake Road since last spring. He volunteers for free.

“I feel that my pay is my ability to pay it forward because education is the way to succeed,” Anderson said.