Journey

History of the Journey

After taking the Sojourn to the Past journey to the Civil Rights sites in the South, students realize they have the power to make a difference in their own lives and in their schools and communities, and they can make that difference right now. This valuable program was created as a result of Youngstown City School District’s Penny Wells attending a teachers’ conference in Orlando, Florida in the summer of 2006 where she learned about the Civil Rights program called Sojourn to the Past. With the support of her principal, Marilyn Mastronarde, and Youngstown City School superintendent, Wendy Webb, money was raised, and six high school students were selected to participate in the Sojourn to the Past Journey. That spring the nonprofit, Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past, was created.