CHICAGO – If a child grows up without a solid education, the American dream will likely remain out of reach. A proper education imbues the young child with not only knowledge but the skills (critical thinking) and values (resilience) that are needed to persevere on the often long and arduous road toward the American dream. These simple and universal facts are true whether the child was born poor on the South Side of Chicago or just outside of Buffalo. 

Dr. John Ratford, the CEO of WellNow Urgent Care, was that child that grew up in Lackawanna, just outside of Buffalo. On the 75th day of his 100-day vigil to raise funds for a community center designed to transform the lives of the people on the South Side of Chicago, Pastor Corey Brooks hosted Ratford for a discussion by the campfire. 

The pastor began by asking Ratford, “How did you become a medical doctor?”

“My dad was an unemployed steelman and my mom used to type, and they really valued education. They sent me to the local Catholic school and then the Franciscan high school,” Ratford said. “I was the first person in my family to go to college … I went to University of Buffalo, went to residency there, did emergency medicine, ended up opening urgent care centers, and that’s where I’ve gotten here today.”

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“How important do you think it is for kids growing up in neighborhoods like this to have a good quality education?” the pastor asked.

“I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have the opportunity,” Ratford said. “There’s a lot of kids in my neighborhood that grew up, and they didn’t have the same opportunities. Some of them, frankly, they’re in jail. They’ve had a lot of struggles in life, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to send my kids to a private school and have seen what the difference is, what those opportunities are.” 

Ratford then referred to the local elementary school two blocks away from the rooftop where only 6% of the kids are proficient in reading and only 4% are proficient in math and said that was simply unacceptable in today’s America. 

“I just have a big belief in parents having that ability to be in control of their kids’ educations, to hold the schools accountable,” Ratford said. “You talk about school choice and some of those things, I just think ultimately that’s the path out. And if you can get people out, then they can come back and bring other people out … that’s what’s going to be able to make that long term change.”

The pastor nodded along in agreement.

“I know one of your passions and goals is to ultimately start a school,” he said. “Tell us about that a little bit.”

“I have a dream, at some point, to take the home that I’m in and transform that into a school where I can take the opportunity to take kids who are in a bad situation, who have a skill set to be able to thrive if we can just get them out of that,” Ratford said. “That’s what I’d really be interested in being able to do. Build a school, give people an opportunity, and then have those folks pay it back and bring others forward.”

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“You’re successful, you got your own business, you’re a doctor, you’re doing good, what makes a person say, ‘you know what, I want to start a school and help some kids who may not have an opportunity’?” the pastor asked. 

“I just think everybody deserves a fair chance,” Ratford answered. “You eat nice food, and you can drive nice cars, but what’s that really mean at the end of the day? I’ve just found the satisfaction I get is being able to, and I’m sure you know this, when you’re able to give, and you’re able to change somebody’s life — there’s no greater gift than to be able to do that.”

“Absolutely,” the pastor said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Follow along as Fox News checks in Pastor Corey Brooks each day with a new Rooftop Revelation.

For more information, please visit Project H.O.O.D.

Eli Steele is a documentary filmmaker and writer. His latest film is “What Killed Michael Brown?” Twitter: @Hebro_Steele.

Camera by Terrell Allen.