Grant used to encourage college readiness for Wicomico Co. students
Salisbury University has earned a 150,000 dollar grant to be put toward college readiness programs.
School officials tell 47ABC Dr. Brandy Terrill and Dr. Randall Cone were approached last year by the Wicomico County Public Schools system and tasked to create a program that would encourage students who may not have college on their minds to strongly consider it.
Dr. Cone explains the proposal was sent to the Maryland Higher Education Commission, which awarded them the grant.
“We want to get to the students as early as we can and give them opportunities to see that college is a positive experience and it is something that can be accessible to them, if they start planning now,” explains Dr. Cone.
Incoming high school freshman Chy-Ann Ruark admits college is far from her mind.
“It feels like it’s going to be years from now,” she tells 47ABC.
Ruark will start her freshman year at Wicomico High School this fall but this summer, she and about 30 incoming other high school freshmen, are spending five days at Salisbury University.
As part of the grant, the school is hosting a camp devoted to getting students excited about college.
Dr. Cone says the students were offered the opportunity to attend through the Wicomico County Gear Up program. The program website describes itself as “all about helping students like you get ready to be successful in college-and way beyond.”
“So we talk about interacting with teachers, who’s going to be helping you through your college applications, who’s going to be writing your recommendation letters,” says Dr. Cone.
He says the camp is not just focused on knowing who can help, but also about what students are learning.
A recent report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (“NAEP”) finds only about a third of U.S. high school seniors are prepared for college-level math and reading.
Dr. Cone admits the decline of college readiness is a trend that has been going on for years. He says that’s why the sooner you can prepare a student, the better.
“Programs like this and opportunities like this make sure that the students get an opportunity early on to make connections between the disciplines…to get a jump start on making those connections in high school,” he explains.
Ruark says it’s a “jump start” she is already getting from this camp.
“I’ve learned how to connect subjects with certain literature that I would have never have thought connected,” she says.
12 teachers from Wicomico County are also participating in this camp. Dr. Randall Cone they’re be working with Salisbury University faculty on goals they’d like to set for their students Friday.
Camp wraps up for students on Friday.
