A New Year of Learning Starts Up for Rhode Island’s Urban Students
The College Crusade of Rhode Island announces its college-readiness programs for winter 2012
Providence, R.I., January 17, 2012 – The College Crusade of Rhode Island today announced the start of its winter 2012 schedule, which includes dozens of free programs and activities designed to increase educational and career success for students in Rhode Island’s low-income urban communities. College Crusade programs are offered weekdays after school, on weekends, and during school vacations. Programs range from academic enrichment and SAT test preparation to college visits, career workshops, and adventure education.
Approximately 3,500 middle school and high school students in Rhode Island are members of The College Crusade. The majority of them attend public schools in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket. Membership in The College Crusade provides each student with sustained adult mentorship and college-readiness programs and services from grade 6 through high school graduation. Upcoming winter 2012 programs for College Crusade members include the following:
• Saturday Academy – January 21 to March 31
A 10-week academic enrichment program for middle school and high school students. The curriculum for middle school focuses on math; high school students build skills in math, English, and writing. Held Saturdays at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts, Providence, and Blackstone Academy, Pawtucket.
• The Write Stuff – January 21 to March 31
Saturday morning workshops in writing for middle school students. The workshop focuses on media literacy and is designed to give students whose critical thinking and writing skills are still emerging the strategies they need to become more confident in their expressive abilities. Held at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts, Providence.
• SAT Preparation – January 21 to April 21
A 12-week course in SAT preparation and practice tests for high school students. Held on Saturdays at Blackstone Academy, Pawtucket.
• Step Up Conference – January 28
A Saturday conference designed to help eighth graders prepare for the transition to high school. Workshops presented by invited speakers address the high school course load, time management skills, and social issues such as bullying. Held at Times2 Academy, Providence.
• High School Writing Workshop – January and February
A writing workshop that teaches high school students how to analyze a broad spectrum of media messages, from music videos to MySpace. Participants will engage in critical thinking, writing, and discussion in a computer-interactive environment. Held Saturdays at the Juanita Sanchez Complex, Providence.
• Robotics Club – January and February
A robotics team that offers high school students the opportunity to participate in the 9th annual FIRST Tech Challenge, a robotics competition hosted by New England Institute of Technology on February 4, 2012. Teams are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. The theme for this year’s competition is “Bowled Over.” Meets at The College Crusade office in Providence.
• Afterschool Science Workshops – January to April
A series of afterschool science workshops for sixth and seventh graders, provided in partnership with the University of Rhode Island’s “Pathways for Success in Science and Technology” project. Students explore topics such as food chemistry, human health, and urban environmental issues, perform experiments and practice laboratory techniques, and learn about GPS mapping. Held weekly at Nathanael Greene Middle School and Roger Williams Middle School, Providence.
• Kids2College – January to April
A college-awareness curriculum created by the Sallie Mae Fund that introduces middle-school students to the value and accessibility of higher education and helps them understand the connection between education and careers. Culminates in a visit to a college campus. Held weekly afterschool in 13 Rhode Island middle schools and presented in partnership with the University of Rhode Island.
• Adventures in Literacy – January to May
A computer-assisted learning program for sixth-grade students called ReadAbout, created by Scholastic, Inc. Includes quiet reading, writing in response to text, and teacher-guided sessions. Held on Saturdays at The College Crusade office in Providence.
• Cru Club – January to June
A series of college-readiness and career-exploration programs provided to students after school and on Saturdays. Featured programs include college advising, adult mentoring, homework help, study-skills and life-skills workshops, book clubs, writing workshops, math workshops, financial literacy, career decision making activities, career speakers, and service learning projects. Held weekdays in 30 Rhode Island middle schools and high schools and on Saturdays at Johnson & Wales University Harborside Campus, Providence.
• Career Day – February 11
A Saturday conference that introduces middle school students to a wide variety of career fields and career professionals. Students also learn about the educational requirements necessary for these careers. Guest speakers represent industries such as healthcare, finance, business, journalism, law and law enforcement, education, science, and technology. Held at New England Institute of Technology, East Greenwich.
• Winter Vacation Club – February 20-24
Five full days of activities for middle school and high school Crusaders during February school vacation. Highlights for middle school students include a campus visit to the University of Rhode Island. Sixth graders will participate in Exchange City, an interactive learning environment in business and civics hosted at Johnson & Wales University. Featured activities for high school students include an interactive classroom seminar called Choices, hosted at Brown University, which teaches young people how to see into the future and recognize the importance of the personal and academic decisions they make today.
• Afterschool Bullying Workshops – February to April
A series of workshops that help middle school students understand relational aggression and learn strategies for responding. Topics explore healthy friendships, social and emotional bullying, and cyber bullying. Held at Gilbert Stuart Middle School, Roger Williams Middle School, and Nathanael Green Middle School, Providence.
• College visits – February to April
Specially arranged visits for middle school and high school students to dozens of colleges and universities in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Participants tour campus, talk to college students, and learn firsthand about the opportunities and challenges of college life.
• CAAP (Crusade Adventure and Academic Program) – March 3 to May 12
A 10-week program in adventure education for middle school students that improves self-esteem and develops skills in problem solving, team building, and healthy risk taking. Includes a writing component. Held on Saturdays at Roger Williams Middle School, Providence, and Veterans Memorial Elementary School, Central Falls.
About The College Crusade of Rhode Island
The College Crusade of Rhode Island is the state’s most comprehensive college-readiness and scholarship program for middle school and high school students in low-income urban communities. It serves approximately 3,500 students per year and rewards their efforts and achievements with up to four years of college scholarships. The College Crusade enrolls 6th and 7th graders who attend public and public charter schools in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket. Starting in 2012, enrollment will extend to low-income students in Cranston. From the time they enter the program 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 preparation for college. Since 2001, The College Crusade has awarded over $23 million in college scholarships to more than 3,000 graduates from Rhode Island high schools. For more information, please visit www.thecollegecrusade.org.
The College Crusade is a nonprofit organization funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s GEAR UP program, by the State of Rhode Island, and by private corporations, foundations, and individuals.
About Rhode Island GEAR UP
Rhode Island GEAR UP is a coordinated initiative reflecting policy congruence between the RI Office of Higher Education, the RI Department of Education, the RI Higher Education Assistance Authority, and The College Crusade of Rhode Island. The goal of Rhode Island GEAR UP is to achieve a shared vision: an educational system that prepares all RI students for success in college, career, and life. Rhode Island GEAR UP is administered and implemented by The College Crusade.
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Karen Donovan
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