Grand Valley's TRiO Educational Talent Search received the four-year, $317,960 grant at a time when nearly one in four national TRiO Talent Search offices was not funded, said Director Sarah Keranen-Lopez. The grant begins in the 2007-08 academic year.
One of Grand Valley five TRiO programs, the Educational Talent Search program identifies and assists people from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The program provides academic, career and financial aid counseling. Staff members also serve high school dropouts by helping prepare and encourage them to complete their education.
"Younger students in the program are assisted by attending college preparatory workshops, informational sessions for parents, pre-college camps and campus visits, and tutoring and mentoring," Keranen-Lopez said. "College-ready participants receive financial aid application and college application assistance, career testing and counseling, ACT prep and workshops on the topics to assist them in gaining admittance to post-secondary institutions."
The program anticipates continuing its outreach to alternative schools, however, due to tougher federal guidelines, it has identified the following schools as target schools: Riverside Middle, Westwood Middle, Burton Middle, Alger Middle, Creston High School, Lee High School, Godwin Heights High School, Ottawa Hills High School, Central High School, Union High School and Allendale's New Options High School.
For more information about the program and its services, call Keranen-Lopez at (616) 331-7110.
