Literacy, Education and College Access Issues

Focus for 2009/2010

  

The Issues

Licking County has a number of critical educational resources: a strong library system, committed public school teachers, an outstanding technology education center serving high school-aged and adult learners throughout the county, and three excellent institutions of higher education. Nonetheless, there are clear indications of difficulty: many of the county’s school districts are under-resourced as a result of repeated failed levies; high school graduation rates and college attendance in several districts lag national and state averages; and adult literacy rates are a cause of concern throughout the county. Educators and others engaged in economic and community development view improvements in literacy rates, support for the education system, and college access as essential to the survival, let alone the prosperity, of the county.

 

Action

The following are examples of service activities planned for the 2009-2010 school year, in response to needs expressed within the community. This is a preliminary list.

  • In October, the Alford Center hosted Diane Reiser, the Chief Operating Officer of the Brooklyn College Community Partnership, in a visit to discuss the achievements of the BCCP and how elements could apply to fostering the continuation of education in our local community. Community partners, Denison faculty, staff  and students participated in this event.
  • The Alford Center hosted a community-inclusive book discussion of Paul Tough’s “Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America.” Community partners, Denison faculty and students met in November to discuss the lessons that the Harlem Children’s Zone might hold for Licking County.
  • Denison University, the Ohio State University at Newark, and the Central Ohio Technical College have formed a three-institution collaboration to support college access activities with the Newark City Schools and a call to college. The three institutions are devoting resources, coordinated by campus VISTAs, to carry out early awareness activities in elementary schools, and career planning exercises in middle schools.
  • Students in a Communication class are tutoring 8th and 9th graders to improve their reading skills.
  • America Reads tutors arecontinuing a program of campus visits instituted in 2008-09. Elementary schools students who participate in an after-school program will come to campus twice during the academic year to see the campus, talk with their America Reads tutors about college life, and participate in fun educational experiences, like planetarium shows, laboratory experiments, concerts by musical ensembles, etc.
  • Students in an upper-division education course are designing, coordinating, and implementing a literacy campaign encouraging parents to talk to and read to their children beginning in infancy.
  • Students in a Psychology course are implementing a reading program to help struggling first- and second-grade readers  improve their skills.
  • Students in two science courses are doing educational programming with local school children.

 

Resources

         Follow the links below for more information related to Literacy, Education and College Access issues:

  • College Access Information:

                  Should and Can A Call to College Initiate an Early Awareness Program [pdf], a needs analysis and feasibility study conducted by Janet Schultz

                  A Call to College, providing information and grants for students attending college

                  Ohio College Access Network, information including a searchable library of resources

                  Know How 2 Go Ohio, information about college access for students from middle school through high school

                  Ohio Board of Regents College Access Hotline, Ohio's college access hotline

  • Financial Aid Information:

                  Licking County Foundation, information on scholarships

                  I Know I Can, college access information and grants for Columbus Public School students, FAFSA info

                  Ohio Board of Regents Scholarships, information on scholarships and grants for Ohio students attending Ohio schools

                  College 101, links to College 101, the magazine for Ohio students interested in Ohio schools

                  Federal Student Aid, federal student aid information and applications

  • Licking County Education Data
 

For more information, contact Alford Center for Service Learning.


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