Without giving away the entire plot, George has several unfortunate things happen to him that were not his fault, and he contemplates jumping off a bridge. George’s guardian angel Clarence is dispatched to him to prevent him from making a terrible mistake. In fact Clarence dives off the bridge on a cold, snowy night, and as usual George goes in after him to save him. While they are drying out from their wintry plunge into the river, George says, “I wish I’d never been born.” Using divine supernatural power, Clarence shows George how bleak and sad his town of Bedford Falls would look like had George Bailey never existed.
Why is it my favorite Christmas movie and in my top ten of favorite movies of all time? I cry each time I see it at the end. It has several great messages. But it got me to thinking, “What if ICAN had never been born?” What if there was no ICAN? Here are some of my thoughts.
- No ICAN advisors to help complete the FAFSA.
- No ICAN advisors for panicking parents and students to call or meet with to ask all kinds of questions about the FAFSA, financial aid, and college/career planning.
- Hundreds of students in Iowa would not receive the outstanding free ICAN books and calendars on college planning, financial aid, or apprentice ship training.
- Iowa school counselors would lose a major resource to help them provide financial aid and post-high school education assistance.
- The second-to-none ICAN website (icansucceed.org) would not exist providing an immense amount of information just a few clicks away.
- No ICAN advisors who go to bat daily helping single parents, the unfortunate, and the impoverished better themselves and improve their economic status.
- Iowa’s largest college fair, the Golden Circle College Fair would not exist bringing together students and parents with colleges and post-high school organizations.
- No ICAN career and college readiness curriculum that impacts Iowa schools and even schools outside of Iowa.
Steve - ICAN Council Bluffs Center
