Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 13, 1990 TAG: 9003133581
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: BETTINA ACZEL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"I wanted to, but I didn't think I'd get to," she said.
Samuel, a 1989 graduate of William Fleming High School, now is a freshman accounting major at James Madison University. The 18-year-old is one of the successful graduates of Project Discovery of Virginia Inc.
Project Discovery began 10 years ago as a cooperative venture of Total Action Against Poverty, Roanoke College and the Roanoke city schools. Its goal is to encourage students who would be the first college graduates in their families, as well as low-income students, to attend college.
"The emphasis is on helping students who might not consider college an option for them," said Chris Criscione, resource developer for Project Discovery.
Samuel said that without Project Discovery's financial aid workshops she would not have been able to find the resources she needed to attend college.
Since it began in 1979, Project Discovery has grown to a statewide level involving 37 school districts in Virginia. New York, Illinois, Missouri and Hawaii also have developed programs, and several other states have expressed interest.
Cabell Brand, president and chairman of the board of TAP, initiated the program after researching statistics about the differences in the poverty and education levels of blacks and whites. No race or ethnic group is excluded from the program, he said, but the program was intended for black students.
"We wanted to motivate black kids as early as possible to let them know that there is a way to go to college," Brand said.
Project Discovery consists of middle school, high school and transitional curricula, each of which is made up of six workshops, said Michele Coles, program manager. An orientation and goal-setting workshop and a study skills workshop are included in each curriculum, she said.
On the middle-school level, students focus on their individual needs. The workshops include coping skills, group problem solving, leadership and communication and cultural arts.
At the high-school level, students learn practical skills to make it easier for them to apply to, get in and remain in college. The high school students attend workshops on financial aid, choosing a college, admissions and guidance information services.
Participants in each high school program also make three to seven trips to college campuses. The students stay overnight in dormitories so they can experience campus life and see that "this is what college is as opposed to what they think it is," Criscione said.
Jermaine Holland, a sophomore at William Fleming, said he finds the college visits one of the most helpful - and rewarding - aspects of Project Discovery.
"We find out about things like expenses and all that, and we tour the campus, go to games and hear speeches," he said. "I like it a lot."
But besides having fun on college campuses, Holland said his high school work is improving because of the help he gets in Project Discovery workshops.
"They give you different tips" to help work out school problems, he said.
After students have completed the middle or high school curriculum, they are eligible for the transitional program. Workshops in this section focus on personal growth, career, educational and social skills.
All Project Discovery students are invited to participate in cultural enrichment activities, such as attending college plays. These activities eventually will help ease the students' transition into the college atmosphere, Coles said.
In 1989, 70 percent of Project Discovery participants enrolled in colleges, compared with the 65 percent in 1988, said Betty Pullen, executive director for Project Discovery.
Most students enter Virginia schools because they are the most affordable, but several have gone to out-of-state universities. More than 5,000 Virginia students have participated in Project Discovery since it began, she said.
Funding for Project Discovery comes mainly from the Virginia Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education also provides funds for the expansion of Project Discovery into other states. Before individual programs receive funding from Project Discovery of Virginia Inc., they must operate successfully for one year.
Although Project Discovery is starting a scholarship program, most students do not receive tuition money from the organization.
"It's all self-awareness, self-motivation and confidence," Criscione said.
I U ION PHO O: ighth-grader ntoinette Buckner looks over a test during Project Discovery workshop color CINDY PINKSTON/STAFF
by CNB