Inspiring College Access Partnerships for Young Students

1. Inspiring to Aspire: Activities & Partnerships to Promote College Access with Young Students John Pickett & Princess King

2. Session Goals • To encourage partnerships between Colleges/Universities and local schools within their communities. • Share successful projects from the Elon Academy • Facilitate discussion around needs & programming ideas. • Session participants will leave with ideas to start or enhance their partnerships.

3. The mission of the Elon Academy is to inspire academically-oriented students who are often underrepresented on college and university campuses to pursue higher education, build leadership skills, and develop an active sense of social responsibility.

4. Our Program Model Phase 1: College Access

5. Our Program Model Phase 2 : Transition to College Phase 3: College Success

6. Graduation Rates 100% of high school students who complete phase 1 go to college • 4 Elon Academy scholars received Gates-Millennial Scholarships • 2 Elon Academy scholars received Golden Door Scholarships • 1 Elon Academy scholar received the Morehead-Cain scholarship • Kappa scholars (N=21) were offered over 3 million in merit-based aid College persistence rate is 86% 70 college graduates • 6 completed graduate school • 8 currently in graduate school • 48 working in North Carolina • 11 working outside NC • 1 serving in military

7. Importance of Early Exposure • 15% of families in our area live below poverty. • This is slightly higher than the state average of 12% of families. • The poverty rate varies by race: 28% of African Americans, 35.9% of Latinx, 36.9% of American Indians compared to only 3.3% of Asian Americans and 12.8% of Caucasians • 7% of Alamance County residents are unemployed. This is on par with the rest of the state but higher than the national average of 4%.

8. Importance of Early Exposure High School Grad Rates Caucasian Graduation Rate 86.3 %, Asian-Americans 86.2%, African-American Graduation Rate 77.4%, LatinxGraduation Rate 75.9% NC state graduation rate for all students is 86% Very limited counseling or college guidance support in schools due to counselor-to-student ratios Early exposure to accurate information about post-secondary opportunities can set up undocumented students for success

9. Importance of Early Exposure 25% Associates degree or higher

10. Elon Academy Ambassadors

11. EAA (est. 2012) • Partnership with local elementary school counselors • College Access Month @ elementary school • Classroom Visits • College Fair • Family Night • Campus Visit

12. EAA Event Development • Begin early • Leadership opportunities • Adult facilitation, not implementation • Collaboration and communication skill development • Trial run

13. Outcomes • Increases college access awareness for students, families, and faculty/staff • Promotes our program • Addresses inequity • Establishes College Access Month • “Kobe Goes to College” Book • Increases student engagement • Improves student dispositions toward standardized testing • EAA in the Middle

14. EAA - Middle School • Partnership with local middle school counselors • Collaborative Class Presentation based on needs • Transition from Middle to High School • Post Secondary Options • Tips for High School • How to maximize HS • Kahoot

15. EAA - LESSON PLAN

16. Group Lesson • For use in-session during interactive brainstorming session

17. Resources • NACAC Step –by-Step Elementary & Middle school curriculum • CFNC.org– “Paws in Jobland” & Planning for High School/College Resources • College Vocabulary Hunt Lesson • Carolina A to Z & Appalachian A to Z by Anne Aldridge Webb • Kobe Goes to College by Elon Academy Theta Scholars • Real life “Kobe” activity • “Flat Stanley” Goes to College Activity • Elon Academy Website, elon.edu/elonacademy Princess King, pking2@elon.edu John Pickett , jpickett@elon.edu