Clifton Bennett is a “star student” at CSNDC’s Computer Learning Center (CLC), according to Prince Charles, the CLC’s Coordinator. In the past few years, Clifton has graduated from both the Computer Basic Course and the Small Business Course at the CLC, and he is currently enrolled in the 2.0 Small Business Course. He has taken these courses to advance his music career, with the intention of opening a recording studio.
“Ever since I was a kid, I always did music — write music, produce music,” says Clifton. “I always tell people to find your niche and find your passion, and once you find that passion, go for it.”
Clifton carries that passion with him in his job as a cafeteria worker in Boston Public Schools, where he has worked for 24 years, and where he makes it his business to help the kids in any way he can.
“Music helps me understand where these kids are coming from,” he says. “I’m an advocate for kids in the school system. I tell adults to listen to a child for just five minutes. Our kids are angry, and they need someone to turn to.”
For Clifton, it’s also about community. “I’m big on change and I’m big on helping my community grow,” he says. “But how can I help my community grow if I don’t have the necessary tools to make it in my community?”
That’s where the CLC programs have come in.
“These courses have helped guide me on what to do and what not to do,” he says. “I’ve learned how to make a business plan, how to keep records, and all that stuff. But I’ve also learned how to put ideas together and how to help my community — because it’s up to us .”
