Graduating high schoolers take a trip to Chattanooga State
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – For students about to graduate high school, knowing what the possibilities are for what college can offer is extremely valuable.
See how students from Howard gained some of that understanding in tonight’s What’s Right With Our Schools.
DR. MITCHELL: Today’s program is great because we again we always say you can’t be what you can’t see in life right so, we’re getting our students on to the Chatt State campus. They’re learning about financial aid they’re learning about to be able to collaborate with students that are already here on campus.
“I’m here to talk to give you guys kind of a uh, a small taste of what a college class is going to be like.”
DR. MITCHELL: We’re painting that vision but then also too we will be going and collaborating with the STEM students as well doing the leadership exchange program there with some brainstorming activities.
REBECCA: Having these students on campus helps them first of all to connect with college and see what’s possible after high school.
“Some of you it’ll be getting done and going to work. For some of you it’ll be leaving here and going on to a university to get a bachelor’s degree. Whatever course of action you’re choosing we’ve got things set up that’s intended to support you.”
TAY’VIONA: Getting to have a relationship with my professor I know that I’ll be able to excel somewhere in life in college instead of like sitting back and being that student that’s like I can’t do this so I give up. I’m a dropout.
TRAE: It gives us as faculty an opportunity to create alongside of them solutions when life happens, when family issues come up, when car troubles exist. When all of those things come up (as they do for everyone) when we as faculty know, we partner with the student to still make them academically successful.
“The first topic of the breakout sessions is paying for college.”
DR. MITCHELL: They also learned about the financial aid piece. How I could take 10 minutes for you just to fill out a piece of paper, and get your college paid for.
“Every single year you want to submit that FASA. And you want to submit it as early as you can.”
REBECCA: When they’re here they are connecting with people who can help them later on, when they hope to become students here. But then they can also see themselves here. You know one of the things I’m most excited about is they will actually experience a college class. So they can see what that’s like.And say I can do this.
TAY’VIONA: I thank Howard for letting me come to Chatt State today to ask questions and get like experience like what type of experience I will have when I go off into the college life.
DR. MITCHELL: The main objective is to get our students on to a college campus so they can see themselves in that position and be successful.