Program Has Students Helping Students Get to College

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Students who attended the Student Leadership Conference are pictured. The peer mentor leaders promote a college-going atmosphere at their campuses and help students get to college.

The Dream Team program is expanding this school year to be available at more AISD high schools. Dream Team members help their classmates with the college and financial aid process.

To better prepare student mentors, they attended a Student Leadership Conference held July 27-28 at the University of Texas at Austin. Counselors and teachers nominated 10th and 11th grade student leaders in the spring of 2012. The conference provided the 72 students with effective leadership skills and techniques needed to serve as peer mentors.

Students trained at the conference will form Dream Team peer mentoring groups at their respective high schools. Dream Team members will assist counselors and college advisors by promoting a college-going culture on campus and encouraging their fellow 11th and 12th grade classmates to complete important paperwork this year.

Dream Team peer mentors will answer basic questions relating to college admissions, applications, financial aid and college entrance exams such as the SAT/ACT. They will also help their peers effectively navigate through important websites such as applytexas.org, collegefortexans.com, collegboard.com, act.org, and bridges.com. And they will also perform the following duties:

•    Assist students in the high school College Center.
•    Assist counselors and college advisors when conducting hands-on financial aid and college application workshops with students and parents.
•    Help promote and disseminate important information about scholarships, college visits, summer programs, college nights and workshops.
•    Encourage their peers to complete the college admissions and financial aid process in a timely manner.

Team First and Goal, Inc. provided leadership and team building training. Dr. Charlotte J. Davis, AISD director of guidance and counseling; Twiana Collier, AISD coordinator of student financial aid; and Susana Velis, college access advisor for Carver, Victory and Hall high school campuses, provided the college and financial aid training while the high school counselors served as chaperones and group leaders during the conference.

“The Dream Team program started four years ago with just two high schools as part of the Preparing to Dream Grant,” said Collier. “It has proven to be successful and we are excited to see the program expand to other high schools.”