Opportunity of a lifetime

By Brittany Blue, Rachel Moore, Kiera Langston and Chris Carden(editor)

“I want my son to be successful in life and become someone,” says Laurel McCarter, the mother of a 16-year-old Tyler Gann, Fulton High school junior and a Project GRAD student. For her, as for any parent who has a child participating in Project GRAD, it is an opportunity of a lifetime.

“It will get her ready for college and what to expect in college,” says Kim Day, mother of Kirsten a junior at the Austin East High school. 

All of the parents interviewed for this story said that Project GRAD might help their children to decide to go to college and help them financially. It is certainly a chance they did not have.

What is Project Grad?  You’re wondering what does that mean. Well it is a program that helps students in Fulton and Austin-East High School participate in obtaining a four thousand dollar scholarship to a college or tech school of his or her choice. Giving them an experience of college life. Project GRAD began in Houston and was founded in 1988 by James Ketelsen, then Tenneco’s Chairman and CEO. Ketelsen funded a four-year college scholarship program, the Tenneco Presidential Scholarship Program, to eligible graduates of Davis High School in Houston. When the program first started it was just a mere act to help out Davis High School students. Then it began to escalate into a worldwide program that supported the No Child Left Behind Act.

“Well the school I went to didn’t have that kind of program. I think you are lucky to have that kind of program”, says Kim Day. When asked, “Could you put your child through college without Project GRAD” Laurel McCarter responded, “Maybe, if not I would get a loan”.

Parents were wondering the mission of the program being were so involved in it. “The mission of the program is to ensure a quality intercity school education for every risk children in economically disadvantaged communities so that high school graduation rates increase and graduates are prepared to enter and be successful in college”, as said by the Project GRAD administrators.

Rachel Blackman mentioned, “Well I feel that it should be good for you and prepare students for college in a hands on experience”. Therefore, through the numerous quotes we established Project GRAD is a parent-appreciated program.

Giving back to the community

by Samantha Bates, Jake Reilly, Leonard Freeman and Ashley Hanock (editor)

Project GRAD is a local high school program that benefits students in more than one way. The program allow students from Fulton and Austin-East to obtain scholarship money and, as Project GRAD staff believes, will boost graduation rates and the percentage number of those who will attend college. For the project’s staff, team and the instructor it is a way to give back to the community and help young minds grow and develop.

Nineteen year old Emily McKeehan, a Fulton graduate and staff members of Project GRAD, says that she enjoys working with the students.
“I really enjoyed getting to know them and having fun with them while being able to both teach and learn from them at the same time.” For Emily, a former Project GRAD student herself, this opportunity is a chance for the students to learn more about themselves and others and also to set future career goals.
Later Emily stated, “I think it gives them a chance to see that they really do have to work hard in college while giving them a great scholarship to help them get to college.”

“They (the students) get the support and assistance needed to enable them to apply for scholarships. It assists them with financial aid and makes sure they correctly complete college applications,” says Ms. Edie Debose, an academic student advocate from Austin-East. She also thinks her calling in life is to shape young minds.

In the past two weeks Project GRAD students were able to bond with staff leaders and experience a college setting. The UT Summer Institute gives students a sense of support and a way to successfully complete high school with guaranteed scholarship money, as long as they meet the Project GRAD requirements.

For Rebekka Freeman this project is a way to give back to the community. It shows to students that it is hard to get to college but “yet it is attainable and necessary in our society.” In her opinion Project GRAD meets and exceeds her expectations. The classes offered are all good and hands-on. They are very intense but help students retain material that might otherwise be forgotten.
“It opens their eyes to the fast-paced college life and reveal the areas in which they are adequate and in the areas in which they need to improve upon,” says Freeman.

The co-director of the UT Summer Institute, Dr. Fritz Polite, has been a positive influence over many of the students. “I love Project GRAD, and I love the students. I love to see them grow and develop,” he stated. “I enjoy working with young people.” His involvement with this program has allowed little room for error and has made students realize that college will bring hope for the future.

Brittany Blue contributed to the story.

Project Grad Opportunity to Get to College

by Ericka Fowler, Serena Sullivan, Victoria Angel, Tyler Gann and Kendall Templin (editor)

To have the best experience, students need guidance from programs to allow them the chance to achieve success.
Project Grad gives scholars the chance to experience college in its basics. The program allows them to see their future and prepares them for the transition. Students were given the chance to attend Pellissippi for four weeks last year and University of Tennessee for two weeks in June this year with a week in residentials, or experiencing the campus dorms.
Nicole Tappen, a upcoming junior at Fulton High School, has been to two institutes in the past two summers. “It means a lot to be the first in my family to attend college. Project Grad allows me to experience this, which is pretty cool.”
The students from Fulton and Austin-East High combine to not only portray their intellectual abilities but also of their social background. Many friendships are formed and carried on throughout the two years. Project Grad gives the students a reason to come together. They enjoy the company of each other although Fulton and Austin-East are rivals.
“It is fun maintaining distant relationships I have had and forming new friends that I wouldn’t otherwise have met,” comments Junior, Jake Reilly.
Project Grad is more than a little program. It is a place where miracles happen and students reach their highest potential. When asked if she was achieving her dreams Brittany Blue, from Austin-East, states:
“Yes, because this institute gives me an on hand experience what college is really like.”
For Jeremiah Welch of Austin-East the Summer Institute is “a great experience, and you’ll learn a lot from it.”
Some students would attend the colleges yearly if they were able just to further their education and a good way to get a higher education with college prep classes.
For others, it is all about the money. For attending the two weeks at the University, the students are given $150 for their time and effort. Then when the two institutes are completed and passed, a $4,000 scholarship is awarded to them. Each scholar is supposed to pass all classes above 70% to earn the money.
Jacob Brackett, an upcoming senior who is also a Project Grad student is not very happy with the homework and the hard work. But, the money he will be awarded is very important to him. He has four other siblings at home and he needs the money to get in to college . He hopes to fulfill the requirements of the project, which will help him beat the odds and continue to college. "The standards here are set really high."
The standards, though, are set and not easy to live up to.
“It’s summer, and the teachers give us homework to finish,” Brackett states. On the other hand, some students believe the standards are well at reach if you are determined and hardworking. Brandy Nolan, a student at Austin-East, thinks this is true. “They are showing us that without notes or if you’re really not paying attention, that you are not going to pass the class.”

Students that attend UT for the summer of ’08 will be awarded their scholarship money upon graduation.