America Reads tutors at Denison University recently concluded their first year of hosting special campus visits by Newark elementary schools students to promote greater awareness of higher education options.

A visit on April 7 by a group of 22 students from Ben Franklin Elementary was the last of three such events this year, including library and campus tours, hands-on science activities, and dinner with conversation about issues and myths surrounding college life. Previous groups have attended from Carson Elementary and other Ben Franklin groups, with a total of 50 Newark students participating this year.

Michele Doran, coordinator of America Reads at Denison, says the college will continue this program next year. “The John W. Alford Center for Service-Learning will be heavily involved in the current initiatives around the issues of college access and accessibility, which are already underway in Newark.” She adds, “These visits are a great way to introduce elementary students to the concept of higher education. We hope that discussion with America Reads tutors occurring on an actual college campus can help model options for the future of these elementary students.”

The America Reads program is a federal work-study program for college students who are hired to tutor elementary school students in reading skills on a weekly basis. The Denison University Biological Society, State Farm Insurance Company, and the John W. Alford Center for Service-Learning at Denison University co-sponsored these visits.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

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Barbara Stambaugh

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stambaughb@denison.edu

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