Aldine ISD Launches Ascend Scholars Program to Help Students Reach Higher in College Planning

New yearlong initiative provides high-achieving juniors and seniors with individualized advising, selective-college admissions support, and preparation for the transition to college.

For many high school students, the path from graduation to college can feel overwhelming.

Which colleges are the right fit? How should students approach applications and essays? Which deadlines matter? How do families navigate financial aid and scholarships? And once a student is accepted, what does it take to transition successfully to college?

Aldine ISD’s new Ascend Scholars Program is designed to answer those questions — and provide high-achieving students with the individualized support they need to navigate the selective-college process.

The inaugural Ascend cohort includes 176 juniors and seniors from eight Aldine ISD high schools. Students were evaluated based on GPA, class rank, course rigor, and transcript performance, with priority given to students in the top 5% while also considering other academically competitive, high-achieving students.

“You are the chosen few within our district,” Dr. Autumn Boyd, Aldine ISD senior executive director of postsecondary outcomes, told the inaugural scholars during their orientation. “This program is brand new, so you are the first to be a part of this.”

Personalized Support for the Selective-College Process

Ascend is designed to complement the college and career guidance students already receive through their campus counselors and other Aldine ISD college-access initiatives.

Its focus is more targeted: helping high-achieving students who are candidates for selective institutions navigate a competitive admissions process with specialized guidance, individualized attention, and accountability.

Ascend advisors work with small cohorts of up to 15 juniors and 15 seniors. Each scholar participates in a monthly grade-level workshop and receives an individual advising session, with ongoing support for college lists, essays, applications, scholarships, financial aid, and enrollment.

“Ascend provides high-achieving juniors and seniors with individualized support for selective college admissions,” said Dr. Trina Harmon Wright, Aldine ISD program director of college partnerships. “Through small advising groups, students receive focused guidance on college fit, personal narratives, application strategies, scholarships, financial aid and college transition.”

The program does not define a successful college choice by acceptance rate alone.

Ascend targets institutions with competitive admissions, strong academic outcomes, and substantial financial aid, including research universities and liberal arts colleges. Advisors help scholars identify selective colleges that match their academic, financial, social, and personal needs.

From College Aspirations to Applications

Rather than treating college planning as a single event or deadline, Ascend follows students through the academic year with a structured sequence of workshops, hands-on activities, and individual advising.

The program is organized around three stages: Aspiration, Application, and Transition.

Students begin by exploring what is possible and identifying colleges that fit their goals. They then build and strengthen their application portfolios, including personal essays, supplemental materials, and application strategies.

Scholars participate in hands-on activities such as researching colleges and universities, creating balanced college lists, evaluating institutional fit, developing personal narratives, revising essays, planning testing strategies, completing applications, and pursuing scholarships.

While seniors concentrate on completing the college application and financial-aid process, juniors focus on strengthening their academic and extracurricular profiles as they prepare for the application process ahead.

For Monica Kelley, whose son Johnny is participating in Ascend, having that additional support can make a significant difference.

“I’m excited about the opportunity,” Kelley said. “The thing is that this is my fifth child, so I know how hard it is to apply. I know how hard it is to get scholarship opportunities, and also the support needed to get into colleges and universities. I’m excited that I have a helping hand. That’s what every parent needs.”

For Johnny Kelley, that support can make the college conversation feel less intimidating.

“This is a big deal,” Kelley said. “I’m very excited because a lot of times it’s a little intimidating when it comes to the college conversation. This is something that makes it less scary.”

Preparing for More Than Admission

Ascend’s support doesn’t end when a student submits an application — or even when an acceptance letter arrives.

The program recognizes that admission is only the beginning of the college journey. Students receive guidance on comparing financial aid offers, applying for scholarships, selecting a college, completing enrollment requirements, and preparing for campus life.

Spring sessions also address college belonging and money management, helping students think about the realities of living and learning independently.

“Admission is only the first step toward college success,” Wright said. “Students need to understand financial commitments, complete enrollment requirements, build a sense of belonging and prepare for independence.”

That broader approach is intended to help reduce barriers that can prevent admitted students from enrolling or continuing their studies.

Families are part of the process, too. Ascend families receive a roadmap outlining the year’s activities and are encouraged to review their student’s progress, monitor deadlines, and support college and financial-aid decisions.

Building on Aldine’s Postsecondary Vision

The initiative reflects Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney’s longstanding vision for preparing Aldine students for life beyond high school.

When Goffney became superintendent in 2018, she said Aldine did not yet have a department focused on postsecondary readiness. She envisioned students graduating with more than a diploma — with choices and opportunities to attend college, pursue a career, or serve in the military.

“One of my first hires was Dr. Autumn Boyd,” Goffney told families during the Ascend orientation, recalling the development of Aldine’s postsecondary work.

Goffney also celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2026, noting that the graduating class earned more than $1 billion in college scholarships.

Ascend builds on that broader postsecondary vision by providing a targeted support system for students pursuing competitive college opportunities.

The program will measure its impact through a range of student outcomes, including college applications, selective-college admissions, FAFSA/TASFA completion, scholarships, financial-aid results, and final enrollment. Aldine will also track completion of transition milestones and, as the program develops, college persistence.

For the inaugural scholars, however, the journey is just beginning.

With dedicated advisors, small-group workshops, individualized guidance, and a roadmap extending from college aspirations through enrollment, Ascend is designed to help students move from asking “What’s possible?” to confidently answering “What’s next?”

Together, we help scholars rise. And another reason to #ChooseAldine.