Boys & Girls Club of the Heartland and Three Rivers College reported significant growth and a bright future for the College Kids program.
Opened in 2018, the program brings high school students to the main TRC campus to get a taste of college classes, teach them life strategies and prepare them for their next steps in education.
Chris Rushin, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of the Heartland, said the impetus for the collaboration was to help teens understand college and career training are achievable goals, and to take advantage of TRC as a resource.
“We have an incredible resource right in our own backyard in Three Rivers College, and for some of our kids college might as well be a million miles away in the way that they don’t perceive that they can become a college student,” Rushin said.
The program consists of two classes, one in the fall and one in spring. The fall semester Academic Life Strategies class focuses on building college skills like budgeting, testing, note-taking and interpersonal communication. In spring’s computer course students learn fluency common digital tools including the Microsoft Office suite.
College Kids is open to 10th-12th graders and costs students nothing. Transportation to and from TRC to Neelyville and Poplar Bluff campuses is provided.
Trying out college for free helps high schoolers realize what they want, according to executive club director Robbie Toth. Not every student decides college is right for them, but the point of the program is readiness for their next steps in life, whether that is higher education or pursuing career and technical education.
“If they want to go to college, we’re going to help them get to the college. If college isn’t their thing, we want to try to get them a career in whatever career path that they want,” Toth said.
In 2019 College Kids was recognized as the Missouri Program of the Year by the Missouri Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs. At that time, enrollment was consistently lower than what Rushin had hoped. He enlisted Toth to help turn things around. Toth has served Boys & Girls Club for 15 years and some high schoolers have known her since kindergarten. Explaining the program in person to students made a marked difference. At the time of this article, 32 students signed up for spring semester, surpassing their goal of 25. Positive reviews from fellow students also convince teens to enroll.
“It’s awesome to hear kids like that, that were on the fence about going to college or even giving college a try...really enjoying it,” said Toth.
College Kids boosts high schoolers’ confidence about higher educations. Some students who now want to go to college will be the first generation in their families to do so — and parents are excited too.
“The parents see this as an awesome opportunity to give their child a chance to have that college experience,” she said.
PBHS has strengthened its ties to TRC through subsidized dual credit courses, and the partnership with TRC and Boys & Girls Club meshes with its goal to encourage students towards higher education, according to superintendent Dr. Scott Dill. Sophomore PBHS participants can even use the course as a springboard to take dual credit college courses as juniors.
“It has to be good when you open a student’s eyes to those possibilities and pathways that they might not have previously considered, at no cost to themselves or their families,” he said.
Neelyville superintendent Debra Parish also praised the program.
“They are very excited about this opportunity... The impact it has on their mental awareness, that college can be in their future, is a wonderful and huge benefit for them,” she said.
In the future, she added, the school wants to find ways to include students involved in extracurricular activities so their schedules do not prohibit their participation.
Leslie Gragg is department chair, science, math, and social science at TRC and helps facilitate College Kids. She is excited to continue and expand the program.
“We are hoping to continue building on this program for the College Kids and expanding to offer more classes,” Gragg said. “We’re working with the Boys and Girls Club now to map out what looks like, and get even more opportunities for those students so we’re able to offer classes not only to build their confidence and skills as they move into college, but to also offer classes in their interests and in the pathways they want to continue on as they become a college students.”
The goal of Boys & Girls Club of the Heartland going forward will be to continue expanding College Kids. Rushin hinted at the potential for incorporating workforce development programs.
“We’re going to have some more exciting announcements in the very near future as well,” he said.
More information about College Kids is available at bgcpb.org or by calling Boys & Girls Club of the Heartland at 573-776-1690.