Thursday, November 5, 2009

NSC, CCSD partner for middle school mentoring program

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:-YXklxp6nKiawM:http://schools.ccsd.net/legacy/Images/NevadaStateCollegeLogo1.jpg http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:tcjKDOkYMGSnuM:http://employerblog.recruitingnevada.com/wp-content/uploads/CCSD.gif Today's Las Vegas Sun reports on a new partnership between CCSD and Nevada State College targeting middle school students. The goal of the new Crossroads program is to have guidance counselors from area middle schools select a specific number of students, put them through workshops, and award them scholarships provided they complete high school.

The program is very noble.

Sun:
NSC launched its Crossroads program, now in its third year. Guidance counselors are asked to identify 10 to 15 students at each campus who might benefit from participating. The students meet in large groups four times per year for workshops led by NSC faculty and staff.

“Access to a bachelor’s degree changes lives,” said Rene Cantu, vice president of multicultural affairs at NSC and Crossroads’ creator. “There are a lot of bright, promising kids who just need to feel appreciated and that someone believes in them.”

At Wednesday’s kickoff event, [Nevada State College President Fred] Maryanski put his money where his hope is, giving more than 150 students certificates guaranteeing $500 scholarships to NSC, provided they successfully complete high school.

The program costs about $47,000 annually. This year’s funding includes a $25,000 gift from Bill Wortman, co-founder and co-principal of Cannery Casino Resorts, and $18,750 from the Nevada Public Education Foundation.
I'll say again, this program is noble. Having substitute-taught in the middle schools in central North Carolina not long ago, it is at this stage that we begin to lose many of our children. Their focus starts to wane during the latter years of the primary grades, then we lose them in middle school and by the time high school comes, it's too late; we either have them or we don't. NSC is moving in the right direction with this.

E.C. :)

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