Boston College's Outreach to Dorchester Schools Encourages Youngsters to Think about College
Chestnut Hill, MA (April 2011) -- Boston College students and Boston high school students are spending time this month helping students from the Russell and Winthrop elementary schools in Dorchester learn more about what it takes to go to college. The activities are part of BC’s role in the Step UP initiative, which partners area universities with Boston Public Schools.
On Saturday, April 9, Boston College hosted students from the two schools for a day of Early College Exploration. The students met with high schoolers who are part of BC’s College Bound program, BC student mentors and staff from the Urban Outreach Initiatives Office of the Lynch School of Education, which leads BC’s Step UP projects.
The students engaged in several discussions about future college plans, and enjoyed lunch and a campus tour before returning home.
“Our main focus is college exploration,” said Step UP Program Coordinator Alyse Lepkowski, a graduate student at the Lynch School. “We want them to see what a college campus looks like and be inspired by the undergraduate students here as well as by their fellow BPS students who are already working toward the goal of attending college.”
On Friday, April 15, students from the Russell Elementary School spent most of the day with BC student-athletes learning about the science of sports and sports medicine. Students toured BC athletics facilities, played on the turf of Alumni Stadium and watched how the training and medical staff take care of sports injuries.
“The kids always get excited to meet our student-athletes,” said Lepkowski. “In addition to learning about the science of sports medicine, we will also spend some time talking about exploring college with this group of students as well.”
-- Ed Hayward, an associate director in the Office of News & Public Affairs, can be reached at ed.hayward@bc.edu.