Focused on College

Senior Retreat 2012

With graduation rapidly approaching, students were able to take a day which could have been a skip day and instead, focus on academic matters by participating in the Senior Retreat designed for them this past March.
 
Students that were on pace or just a few credits behind were invited out to a morning of workshops and motivational speeches centered on moving towards the next step in their future: College. The workshops included topics like “Paying for College” and “Interviewing Skills and Resume Writing.”
 
“Your Senior Skip Day is today, with me. Take this day and reflect on what you have accomplished,” were the words of encouragement and motivation given to the students from Superintendent Teresa Weatherall-Neal. Ronald Goorman, executive director of  Secondary Schools and principal of Creston High, opened the day's events with some inspiring words of his own when he congratulated the students. “I believe that you did something in your freshman year that led you to be here today," he said.
 
With less than eight weeks remaining for the seniors in attendance, the challenge was presented to students to think about their future and what impact they could have in their community. Tables were set up for students who met the requirements to register to vote. Esther Turner, a retired GRPS educator, gave a heart-felt talk about how proud she was of the students and urged them to register to vote and become politically active at the local, state and national level. “[Voting] gives you a voice in helping direct and guide our government.”
 
Senior Retreat 2012 was ripe with the promise, free T-shirts and give-aways as the soon-to-be graduates get ready to embark on a new phase in their lives with a fresh start. The students were implored to choose wisely when it comes to the others they will surround themselves with and have a plan for their futures. A perfect way for these seniors to end the alternative to “skip day," as Superintendent Neal made it perfectly clear during her speech: “I don’t believe in skipping school.”
 
Challenge Scholars
 
From the immediately college-bound to those whose aspirations are a few years down the road, the Challenge Scholars at Harrison Park school are keeping their eyes focused on the future as well.
 
Harrison Park School, a historically renovated and expanded state-of-the-art educational facility that caters to grades Pre-K through 8, was awarded the Challenge Scholarship Program in partnership with the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. This program provides educational support and college assistance for students at all grade levels, and guaranteed college tuition beginning with the graduating class of 2020. The students and faculty at Harrison have been working hard to increase the high school completion rates, improve overall test scores and develop in the students a life-long love and appreciation for their education. Many of the students that are able to participate in the Challenge Scholars program will be the first generation of college attendees.
 
It is hard to believe that this program began just seven months ago. To keep this passion fueled, Gwendolyn Heatley, career/college pathways coordinator, works in partnership with 14 local colleges and universities and community partners in the form of groups and individual community members. When asked to elaborate on these partnerships, Heatley replied, “We are creating a college-going culture through the use of physical/visual collegiate decor, academic support, inspirational experiences, parent information and by increasing student knowledge of opportunities and the tools necessary for educational success. The projects range from college athletes sponsoring a sports celebration, to a mural project with a locally renowned artist, to college campus tours. We are confident that college is attainable for all our students.”
 
Clearly, the GRPS district has the sights focused on making every student college-bound. The Senior Retreat and Challenge Scholars Scholarship Program are just two of the many opportunities available to the students, from grade school on through high school, to make the dream of a college education a reality. And the Grand Rapids community continues to respond to this energy by contributing to the cause. Additional events and opportunities are available for viewing on the GRPS main website and Facebook page.