College Crusade Keeps RI Teens Focused Over School Break

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

GoLocalProv Features Team

Visits to 15 colleges, a science camp, interactive workshops, and an all-day Getting to College Conference promise to keep hundreds of students in The College Crusade of Rhode Island busy learning during this week's school vacation days.

The College Crusade is the state’s most comprehensive college-readiness and scholarship program for middle school and high school students in low-income urban school districts. It serves approximately 3,500 students per year and rewards their efforts and achievements with up to four years of college scholarships. Programming this week is designed, say organizers at the Crusade, to keep RI teens focused on these goals.

College visits

During the week, Crusaders will visit colleges and universities all over the region, including Brown University, Bryant University, Clark University, Johnson & Wales University, Merrimack College, Nichols College, Providence College, Regis College, Rhode Island College, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, Trinity College, University of Rhode Island, Wellesley College, and Wesleyan University. Participating students will tour campus, talk with undergraduates, and learn firsthand about the opportunities and challenges of college life.

The impact of choices

And as RI's teens get excited about options in colleges and universities, concurrent programming keeps the focus on how to get there. "Choices," a two-day interactive seminar for high school students that teaches young people to recognize how the personal, educational, and financial decisions they make today can have lasting influences on what they are able to attain in the future, includes workshops, group exercises, and teamwork experiences. Science Camp takes two days to highlight hands-on projects and activities in chemistry, engineering, and electronics for middle school students, plus an introduction to how people make careers in scientific and technical fields.

Getting to college

Finally, a conference at the end of the week offers 11th-grade Crusaders a jumpstart on the college application process, including hands-on workshops on how to write an effective personal essay. Featured speakers at the conference are Priscilla Alicea, associate director of admission at Bryant College; Don Mays, associate director of admission at Roger Williams University; and Ralph Tavares, assistant director of admission at Salve Regina University.

Focus on education

From grade 6 through grade 12, Crusaders experience the steady, nurturing presence of caring adults and participate year-round in activities that focus on academic enrichment, social and personal development, career awareness and exploration, and readiness for college. Since 2001, The College Crusade has awarded over $22 million in college scholarships to more than 2,800 graduates from Rhode Island high schools. For more information, please visit www.thecollegecrusade.org.

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