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.