The Scholarship

THE EPISODES-Chapter Eleven

Episode Two: In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Homeless Shelter

Episode two of The Scholarship begins much like the first one.   Music and pictures flash across the screen.  Instead of Stevie Quay with a microphone, the first person the audience sees is K.C. Washington standing in front of an old building with a sign on the door that reads, "Community Outreach: All are Welcome Here."

"Good evening, America," K.C. begins.  "I'm here in the community of West Pullman, located on the south side of Chicago, Illinois.  We're here to give viewers of The Scholarship an up-close look at the daily life of Harrison Kershaw, one of the show's five finalists." 

Pieces of Harrison's essay can be heard in his own voice as the words scroll across the screen.  His final words, "I want to keep Jake's memory alive through my faith and my service to God," slowly fade away, and K.C. Washington is seen standing inside of the shelter. 

A short, stocky boy of 16 stands next to her as he fiddles with his backpack.   His sandy blonde hair looks un-brushed and in desperate need of a cut.  Behind them the audience can see two adults bustling around a spacious kitchen with large steel countertops. 

"The Kershaw family begins their day at 5:30am every morning here at the Community Outreach homeless shelter," K.C. tells the cameras.  "The first volunteer shift begins at 6am, and the only meal of the day is served at 7am."   K.C. walks to the center of the kitchen but makes sure to stay out of the way.  "Harrison, why don't you tell me a little bit about your typical day?"

The young man in the shot pulls at the strap of his backpack and sighs.  "Well, when I'm not in school, like today, I get up and help my parents set up for breakfast.  Then I sometimes hang with my friends or go see Father Mark.  I usually spend a few hours at the Catholic Charities, and then I come home.  Sometimes I read or watch television or I come down and play games if we have little kids staying in the shelter." 

"That sounds like a pretty full day, " K.C. says.

"Well, sometimes it's even more hectic than that," Harrison admits.  "Sometimes the shelter is short staffed, and I have to help do laundry or check people in."

"Well, I don't want to keep you from doing your work.  I'll just wait here until you're ready."  K.C. steps aside and Harrison throws his backpack in an office off the kitchen.  He puts on an apron and helps his parents open large cans of peaches.

The screen fades and a picture of the shelter reappears, but this time it is packed with people.  Blurred faces of men, women, and children of all backgrounds stand in line holding large paper plates.  Several people are already seated and eating breakfast.  Volunteers stand behind bowls of food, ladling out eggs and fruit, or putting a slice of bread on a plate.

Harrison is standing on the left side of the room talking with one of the older men sitting at a long table.  Sometime between shots, he has combed his hair and looks more presentable. The young man is nodding his head and smiling.  He puts his hand on the man's shoulder before walking away.  He catches his mother's eye, and she nods to him.  He grabs his backpack and heads for the exit.

"So where to next?" K.C. asks him as he starts walking down the street past apartment buildings and a small, fenced-in playground.  

"Well, today I am going to the Catholic Charities first," Harrison says.  "It's about a 40 minute walk or a 20 minute bus ride."  He looks both ways before crossing the street.  "I'm walking today because I have to make a stop."

"We'll join you, if you're okay with that," K.C. tells him.  "That is why I'm here!" She walks beside him as the camera follows them down a busy street.  A few of the neighborhood residents wave to the camera as they walk by.  A teenage boy holds up his hand, but his gesture is blurred.

The scene changes and Harrison is standing at the entrance of a church cemetery.  "I need to go inside by myself," Harrison says.

"No problem," K.C. tells him.  "We'll wait right here."  The camera stays on Harrison but doesn't move as he gets farther away.

The camera angle changes, and Harrison is returning from his visit inside the cemetery.  He wipes his eyes, and his voice cracks as he says, "Today is the two year anniversary of my friend Jake's death.  I'm going to see his parents next."  He clears his throat.  He turns left out of the cemetery and the camera follows a respectful pace behind him as he walks.

Another scene change brings Harrison, K.C., and the cameraman to the Catholic Charities located in the community of Roseland.  Harrison meets two adults inside, and they take a few minutes to hug and quietly talk to each other.  K.C. does not interview the parents or attempt to speak with them.  They give her a wave of greeting, and she waves back.

Harrison walks over to a table and pulls pamphlets and papers out of his backpack.  He arranges them in neat little stacks before sitting down in a chair and letting out a big sigh.  The camera zooms in on one of the stacks on the table.  It is suicide prevention literature.  K.C. sits down next to him.

"How often do you put out this information?" She asks quietly.

"Every couple months," Harrison replies.  "Father Mark helps me put the pamphlets together, and the Catholic Charities pays for the printing costs."  Time moves forward as a few teenagers are seen taking a pamphlet.  Harrison gets up, finds Jake's parents to say good-bye, and heads out the door.  "I'm going to visit Father Mark."  Harrison pulls out an apple and takes a bite.

The viewers see a man who is presumably Father Mark standing at the pulpit practicing his homily for an upcoming mass.  He looks up and stops talking.  Harrison walks up to the priest, and they hug.  Father Mark whispers something in Harrison's ear, and then turns to greet K.C.  Father Mark is an attractive man, and K.C. turns on the charm.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, sir," she says with an added thickness to her accent.  She smiles at the priest and bats her eyes.  "From my understanding, you've had quite the influence on this bright young man."

"He's an incredible kid.  I feel fortunate to call myself his friend," Father Mark tells her.

"Well now, if my pastor had been as sweet as you, I may have been more diligent in attending Sunday services," K.C. gushes.  Father Mark blushes but leads them through a hallway to his office.  He offers K.C. a chair and then takes a seat behind his large oak desk.  "So what is it you and Harrison do when you get together, Father?" 

"Well, sometimes we'll go get lunch or he'll help me with chores around the church," Father Mark smiles at Harrison.  "Sometimes we just sit and talk about life or what Christ is doing in our lives."  He leans forward in his chair.  "Sometimes we pray together.  Would you like to pray with us, Ms. Washington?"

K.C. shifts uncomfortably in her seat before standing and shaking her head.  "I think I'll just wait outside until you boys are done."  She looks at Harrison.  "Take your time, Sugar."

In the next scene, the sun has set, and K.C. and Harrison are back at the shelter.  Harrison shows K.C. around the small apartment he shares with his parents above the shelter.  The Kershaws invite K.C. to stay and have dinner with them. 

The four of them sit down to a simple meal of egg sandwiches and leftover canned peaches.  K.C. takes this opportunity to ask the Kershaws a few questions.

"So how did you feel when Harrison told you he wanted to be a Catholic priest?" 

"Well, to be perfectly honest," his mother begins, "we thought it was temporary.  We knew how much he was hurting after Jake passed away, and we assumed he'd eventually change his mind."

"And how do you feel now?"  K.C. asks.

"We have always raised our son to be an independent thinker and to follow his heart," his dad says.  "Even though we don't agree on some things, we will always support him in whatever he chooses to do with his life."

"One last question for you," K.C. gives Harrison a sad smile, but then looks from his father to his mother before continuing.  "Is your son always this intense?"

"Well, it's the anniversary of his best friend's death, so it's a pretty intense day," his mother says defensively.  "But now that you mention it, it has been quite a while since I've seen him smile."

The screen fades, and another episode of The Scholarship ends.