DANVILLE, Ill. (WAND) - One milestone in life is going to college - something more than half of Americans see as a priority.

The Ubuntu Mentoring Program showcased students their options with a trip to Tennessee, Indiana and Georgia. From June 28 to July 3, 40 high school students toured five colleges and Historically Black College and Universities. David Groves, the executive director of the Laura Lee Fellowship House, said he was tired of complaining about his home city and wanted to make a difference. 

"You know living in a small town like Danville you often think that there's not a lot of options out there," Groves said. "There's a cloud over Danville that shows that Danville is not this positive place." 

Groves said he wanted to make sure he was "planting my own mustard seeds." 

Ubuntu Mentoring is an after school program at the Laura Lee Fellowship House, the same place he used to visit growing up. His objective was to expose young people to successful Danville natives. 

"Tennessee State has birth many great leaders from Danville," Groves explained. 

He mentioned how the HBCU was home for Dominique Davis and Aarian Forman, former student body presidents. The Danville mentor hopes that kind of exposure will inspire students to pay it forward to the next generation.

He said the Danville people knew when they celebrated Dick Van Dyke and Bobby Short is still there. Groves said the city is growing and "being better." 

"Do not allow the image of image of anyone else to tell you exactly what Danville is," Groves said. "Come see for yourself and allow us to show you why our village is what makes us Danville." 

The mentoring group is planning more events for the youth. One of the events includes a community block party next Saturday and hosting a panel for Black men to talk about mental health.Â