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Northbrook High School students with
coordinator and mentor |
Mission: To engage community members as mentors to maximize the opportunity for first generation, low-income, and/or minority high school juniors and seniors to attain college enrollment and scholarships to make higher education a reality.
Philosophy: In alignment with the SBISD Portrait of a Graduate and Portrait of a Teacher, SBISD is committed to the belief that all students can learn. A variety of experiences; supports; and instructional strategies, differentiated based on analysis and use of data to meet each learners needs, assures that learning is accessible to all students. Striving to be the “premier college focused district in Texas” all must act in unison to maximize each child’s potential and help each student connect his/her learning to future story.
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History: Mirroring the district’s demographic transformation that began 20 years ago, NHS responded with the development of innovative programs to give students the one-on-one attention needed for success. These included the establishment of the Collegiate Challenge program in 2000 to give economically disadvantaged, minority students the one-on-one attention needed to bridge the gap between home, school and the future. Since inception, the Collegiate Challenge program has enabled approximately 225 low-income students to fulfill the dream of college. With the support of THSP and exemplar funds, the Collegiate Challenge model has expanded to Stratford High School. Leadership intends to expand during the spring semester to Spring Woods High School. |
Students with Coordinator |
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Needs Assessment: Intervention, advocacy and support is needed to provide under-represented students with role models, advisors and caring adults to guide their exploration and identification of career paths and the college programs assist them with the college and scholarship applications to make their dreams of higher education a reality. All students and parents need access to the latest information and strategic advice about the college application process.
Strategy and Implementation:
- Identify project leadership for district program and expansion campus programs
- Conduct project planning meeting to review program, identify roles and responsibilities, training and materials needs, calendar of events, strategies for collaboration data collection and program evaluation
- Identify prospective new partners and volunteer coordinator
- Establish campus logistical plans and program structure to meet individual campus needs
- Conduct volunteer and student recruitment
- Conduct volunteer background checks and training
- Provide weekly Collegiate Challenge programming on each site based on the calendar of events developed by each site. Programming includes a strategic schedule of mentor sessions, one night weekly including career profiling, interest surveys, financial aid seminars, college visits, college application and essay development, FAFSA form completion, and general mentoring.
- Conduct quarterly project meetings to assess progress toward project goals and monitor/adjust program as necessary.
- Conduct end of year celebrations for all participants
- Conduct end of year evaluation of program including qualitative and quantitative measures of success.
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Objectives of the Exemplar Program:
· Overarching Program Goals:
- All students involved in the program will have the confidence and resources to achieve their goal of post-secondary education.
- Each student will complete the college application process
- Each student will apply for scholarships
- Each student will complete the FAFSA or TASFA
- Each student and his/her parents will be educated on the lifetime benefits of college and how to obtain an education
Students and Mentor
Goals for Expansion and Replication:
- Implement synergistic replication of Collegiate Challenge to Stratford and Spring Woods High Schools, with ongoing opportunities for planning, collaboration and program development
- Enhance, where appropriate, Collegiate Challenge training materials, training model and document 2007-2008 training and program activities via use of 21st century technologies.
- Develop and share materials, both print and electronic, that build capacity for replication of the program within SBISD and the state
- Position the Collegiate challenge website, together with the SBISD college website as great resources for all SBISD students and families. |
· Historical outcomes affirm a 100% college acceptance rate for project participants vs. a 50-55% NHS campus rate.
· 100% of participants take the SAT, vs 51% of their NHS grade-mates (2006 data). This program, in unison with other college-focused programs at NHS has raised SAT scores by 3% in Math and 7% in reading in prior years. (Current year data is currently being analyzed.)
· Thus far, in 2007, we have successfully expanded to one of the two expansion campuses identified for service this year. Eighteen additional students are receiving services, and over a dozen new mentors have been trained.
· Revised training materials have been developed
· College Focused videos covering the application process, essay writing, financial aid, and special programs have been developed
· Seven-year program mentor has developed a best-practices document for other mentors
· College visits have been conducted
· Outcomes measured at the end of the year will include, but not be limited to:
- SAT/ACT scores
- # colleges applied/accepted
- Amount of scholarship funding received
- College acceptances
- Student and mentor evaluation
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Partners: Chapelwood United Methodist Church, Memorial Drive United Methodist Church
Funding: Campus and District Funds, Spring Branch Education Foundation Mentor Grant Funds, Partner Direct and In-kind Contributions, and Exemplar Project Grant Funds | |
Resources
Spring Branch Webinar: February 7th! Click to view recording and resources
Initiative: Exemplar Program for Successful Practices
School Type: Two comprehensive High School Sites
Service Level: Program Serves 11-12th grades
Exemplar Categories:
· Connections and a college-going culture that prepares students for postsecondary education
· Parent and community involvement programs
Resources: The Power of Mentors
Northbrook High School(original site)
o Total Students: 1817 / Served in program: 31
o Caucasian:6.8%(campus) / 3%
o African American: 8.5%/3%
o Hispanic: 81.9%/91%
o Other:2.9%/3%
o Federal free/reduced lunch: 55.45%/
o Special Ed Programs: 15.9%/0%
o LEP or ESL: 29.56%
Stratford High School Type: (expansion site)
o Total Students: 1967 / Served in program: 18
o Caucasian: 61% /11%
o African American: 12%/33%
o Hispanic: 16%/44%
o Other: 11%/11%
o Federal free/reduced lunch: 21%
o Special Ed programs: 7.6%
o LEP or ESL: 4.6%
Additional Resources
Contact information:
713.464.1511, ext 2287
713.365.4430
Team
Faculty: College-Focused Counselor, Grade Level Counselor, Project Coordinator
Leadership: Linda Buchman, SBISD Community Relations Officer; Pat Waldrop, Collegiate Challenge founder and SBISD Director of Guidance and Counseling; Vanessa Croix, Collegiate Challenge Project Coordinator; Hortencia Vega, Coordinator for SBISD Post-Secondary Guidance and Counseling
Team members: Randoph Adami, NHS Principal; Chris Juntti, SHS Principal; Michael Strait, SHS Collegiate Challenge Coordinator; Chris Archer, Chapelwood United Methodist Church Outreach; Susan Garfield, Volunteer Mentor Coordinator, Memorial Drive United Methodist Church; Lynn Murphy, Volunteer Mentor Coordinator, Chapelwood United Methodist Church
* Location: Located 12 miles west of the city-center in Houston, Texas, Spring Branch ISD and Northbrook High School are steeped in a history of excellence and community support for public education. When it opened in 1974, NHS was the district’s 5th comprehensive high school serving a stable middle class community. Demographic shifts impacting Houston in the mid-1980’s impacted NHS strongly, yielding significant numbers of recent immigrants and first generation Americans, a significant number of whom lack a high school diploma and connection to higher education. The SBISD community has responded and hundreds are engaged across the NHS feeder pattern as mentors and tutors to help students find success and a fruitful future. |