Smith Brings Springfield "Kids to College"

Students at a Springfield middle school will get a taste of college life on Friday, April 28, as Smith College joins other Massachusetts institutions in "Kids to College," an early awareness program that introduces sixth-graders to higher education.

Eighteen girls from the Chestnut Middle School will spend the day at Smith touring the campus, attending a computer workshop, and meeting with students and faculty.

"Throughout the day, Smith students will act as informal mentors to the girls," says Gail Sidney, admission counselor and the college's Kids to College liaison.

Kids to College began in Boston in 1993 when 600 youngsters took part in a six-week program that paired urban classrooms with nearby colleges and universities. The program provided information and activities geared toward college and career exploration while explaining how planning ahead and choosing a challenging high school curriculum could expand opportunities for higher education. Smith became involved with the program a year later when it was expanded to Worcester and Springfield.

As part of the program, Sidney and Smith senior Camille Salas have visited the Chestnut School. On one of those visits, they helped the girls make their own business cards and compile "picture me in college" notebooks, in which the girls discuss where they see themselves in the future and how college can aid them in achieving those goals.

Kids to College targets sixth-graders because students at that age are on the verge of making critical academic decisions and recognizing the value of a high school diploma. Also, sixth-graders are still young enough to consider a campus visit a "big deal."

Sidney, who organized the students' campus visit, said, "The program is very effective in getting students at a formative point in their lives to think about college as an option, and it's important for them to hear the message from young women who are reaching their goals and can speak from experience."

"Kids to College" is a collaborative effort by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM), the Higher Education Coordinating Council, the Higher Education Information Center and the Massachusetts Department of Education. It's funded by a grant from the Student Loan Marketing Association ("Sallie Mae").

Smith will continue to correspond with the students by sending them its publications and other college information throughout their secondary schooling, says Sidney. For more information on Kids to College, contact Sidney at (413) 585-2523.

April 18, 2000