High Life / A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : ‘At Risk’ Students Targeted

Who says that all of academia is stuck in an ivory tower?

Under the new Talent Search program, prospects for higher education are just down the street.

College and university recruiters are taking part in an effort to lure “at-risk” youth and underrepresented students by way of a van that will travel to neighborhood community centers. The program is based at Cal State Fullerton.

Counselors will be on hand in the van to advise students and parents on the benefits of higher education, even if poor grades, language barriers and financial constraints make it seem impossible. In addition, tutoring programs will be set up to improve the students’ grades before they begin to apply to schools and take entrance exams.

“These kids need a lot of motivation, so we will sell them on the idea that they can go to college,” said Lilia S. Powell, the coordinator of the Talent Search program in Orange County.

The program, funded by a $188,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, also includes Cal State Long Beach, UC Irvine and the North Orange County, Coast and Rancho Santiago community college districts.

Powell and two outreach counselors plan to target school districts in Anaheim, Garden Grove, La Habra, Fullerton and Orange.

At the end of the first year, Powell hopes to have 800 high school and community college students in the program, with counselors and volunteers tracking their progress and providing tutoring and mentors. In addition, the program is aiming to help 250 junior high and middle school students.

“By the 11th grade, it is too late for many of our kids,” Powell said. “They have been failing some of their classes. We want to catch them as early as we can.”

“Education is the hallmark of society.”

--Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)