Through the ASPIRE program, I was able to take approximately 25 students to the University of Oregon (UO) to tour the campus and talk with admissions staff. To many this may not seem like such a big deal, but for the students from Yamhill-Carlton HS this was a whole new experience.

Our school is situated in a town with a population in the low 800's and the UO is in Eugene, a town of over 140,000 people. Not only a difference in size but diversity as well.

This trip had an especially profound impact on one particular student who has always stood out in school for being different. At the UO I could tell that he finally felt at home, like part of the crowd. I watched him as we toured campus, his eyes wide and shimmering as he looked at what could be his future home. He had a nervous excitement, and I could tell that he was beginning to picture himself as a college student on a campus that would finally accept him. Up to this point whenever his ASPIRE Advisor would talk to him, he would talk about attending a community college or a vocational program. As we stood on the campus that day, I saw a change in him, he finally realized that he could go to a four-year university if he wanted; the only thing that was stopping him were his own doubts and fears. On the bus ride home he started drafting his admissions essay to the UO.

Everyday since that trip he has been in the ASPIRE Center working on applications and searching for scholarships. He has submitted his application for admission to the UO and is anxiously awaiting their reply. I am confident that he will be accepted for the fall, but if he is not, he is committed to attending Lane Community College until he is accepted at his dream school.

Erin Kevin (Program Developer), Springfield High School, Winter 2006
DEDICATED VOLUNTEER ADVISORS HELP MAKE ASPIRE A SUCCESS

The Springfield High School ASPIRE monthly advisor meeting was held this week. We usually have less than a third of our advisors attend these meetings simply because everyone is so busy. This meeting, however, we had a whopping half of the advisors in attendance. We were able to talk to one another about our experiences with students, review some information, and really take a look at the impact we have. We looked at the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets for Young Adults. After much discussion, we decided that the ASPIRE program at Springfield High provides over 20 of the 40 Developmental Assets. The discussion then expanded into why we do what we do and why we feel it is important to be a part of the lives of our community’s youth. The room was a-buzz with our energy and enthusiasm to serve our community in the best way we know how. Everyone left feeling empowered, refreshed, and reminded of the strength and sheer power of their volunteerism.

Amber Shay (Program Developer), Central Linn High School, Winter 2006
GOOSE BUMPS

I answered my phone the other day, expecting my site supervisor, who calls me frequently throughout the day with ideas and input. I was certainly not anticipating a call from one of the most important people in our local scholarship circuit.

Chal LeTourneau is the Vice President of the McDonald Financial Group. I've been to his office before. To get there you have to take multiple elevators and in the end I just left my packet of hand-delivered scholarship applications with his personal assistant. Mr. LeTourneau happens to administer an incredibly important scholarship in the Central Linn community.

This local scholarship is only available to students below a 3.0 GPA. The glow, the light in a student's eyes when you tell them that their grades won't stop them from receiving scholarships and going to school is incredible. Watching these students proudly stand in front of, sometimes doubting, friends and family to receive their awards at the yearly scholarship banquet is priceless.

To find myself on the other end of the phone with the man who administers the quiet, yet deeply impacting Cline awards was surprising. He was personally calling to see that I was still the contact person for the high school and give me a heads up on the due date. Then he said, "Did you work with a student last year by the name of John? His mother called me the other day to thank me for administering this scholarship and shared with me that you were the reason her son was able to go to college. She told me that you helped him with scholarships and applications, but that most of all you believed in him." He then asked if I would be at the pre-awarding session for the scholarship and expressed that he looked forward to meeting me after hearing so many good things. To think that the work I do here, in the middle of the "Grass Seed Capitol of the World," had reached the ears of this influential man in Portland gave me chills. I guess what we do in this program truly is more far-reaching than any of us can imagine.

One of my students is a foster child and has had to overcome a tremendous amount of adversity just to be where she is today. This student has never had a good support system until recently, and I've noticed that she doesn't give herself credit for any of her accomplishments, such as her high GPA. Growing up, she never received encouragement or compliments from her biological mother. However, since she has been in our program, she has opened up more and more and started to realize how special she really is.

Through ASPIRE she has learned about the field of radiology and would like to work as an X-ray technician. She doesn't want to move away even though there is no program for her career choice in Clatsop County. We believe that she wants to stay because she finally has a family that cares about her and she doesn't want to leave her sister behind. However, she is starting to feel more reassured about leaving home for her education and she is considering Mt. Hood Community College. We have been encouraging her to apply for the Chafee and several other local and national scholarships, which she is in the process of doing one scholarship at a time.

Sarah Swindall (Program Developer), Marshfield High School and Harding Learning Center, Winter 2006
ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS

The first student that was referred to the alternative school in Coos Bay’s ASPIRE program was a young man by the name of Jeff. I should have known by his eagerness to learn about life after high school that he was a success story in the making. He was going to do his final project before completing his program on what he wanted to do after high school. Jeff and his teacher had set up the criteria of the project, and he came to me with this and his plan. He had aspirations of moving to Arizona and attending a community college, as well as living with friends that were already attending schools in Arizona. We worked for a few weeks on what schools had the programs he was fascinated with and their location in Arizona. We talked about jobs, living arrangements, and how he was going to get around when he got there. As a currently enrolled student taking courses at a community college in Arizona, Jeff loves every minute of it! He is my first success story at Harding Learning Center and one that will always stick with me.

Catherine Driscoll (Program Developer), Corvallis High School, Winter 2006
DETERMINATION

Success isn’t always about getting in to college; sometimes instilling the drive to go to college can be success enough. In the case of Juan and Xavier, two twin brothers from Mexico, many people were involved in their increasing determination to obtain jobs that would necessitate a 4-year degree. At the beginning of the year, these two students were unsure of what to do in their future. When the ESL teacher at the school invited a Spanish-speaking admissions counselor from WOU, these two students began to envision many possibilities. The students began making plans to attend a college preview day for first generation and minority students. They would apply and hear back about the admissions decision that day. The determination exhibited by these two students was astounding; they worked hard to complete admissions essays, letters, applications, and hunt down their transcripts with the help and support of their ASPIRE mentor and the ASPIRE Program Developer.

Bethy Annsa (Program Developer), Marshall Campus, Winter 2006
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

I am so proud of Mark. When I met him last year, he was one of those students who you barely noticed. He was so quiet, so self-effacing. If you did see him, you noticed how he lacked confidence, how he was desperate for approval from teachers and staff.

Last year he developed a habit of coming to see me. At first, he would ask questions about college and scholarships. Later, he began to tell me when he did well on an assignment, or if he was having troubles in a class. At the end of the year, it seemed that he had totally opened up, and trusted me as a mentor.

This year, he is a senior, and I have helped him apply for college and financial aid. Right now, we are working on scholarships. His natural intelligence is being bolstered by a newfound motivation, and, finally, confidence!

I can attest to the fact that our mentor/mentee relationship is a high point in his life. It is also one of the great successes of my AmeriCorps service.

Kelly Craig (Program Developer), Lebanon High School, Winter 2006
MOTIVATION

My success story is Anna. I found Anna after speaking in her class about the ASPIRE program. Anna comes from a low-income family and also has a learning disability, which has affected her grades in the past. I could tell that she had already come a long way when I met her; her grades are good because of her persistence and despite the lack of funds she is very determined to go to college. I have helped Anna with researching career options and with looking into different schools. I have opened her up to careers that she never thought of and schools she hadn't considered before because of the financial issue. When she applies to school next year she will keep Linn-Benton Community College in mind as a back up plan while also considering Western Oregon University and George Fox University. She has attended the presentations by both the WOU and George Fox college representatives here at school. While Anna was already determined to do well, this helped her discover new options through education and encouragement.

LaDonna Baker (Program Developer), Crook County High School, Winter 2006
PERSISTENCE IS THE KEY

A young lady I started working with in the ASPIRE program last year has shown determination in achieving her dream: to become a songwriter and vocalist. She listened to the suggestions given as to what she should do, and follows through. Not only is she taking the required courses, but also music classes available at the high school and makes public appearances. She jumped right in and auditioned for the Prineville Follies last year. She auditioned this year with a song she had written and was selected. She even joined the Americana group here at the school and was chosen to be on a CD. A group in town has asked her to be their vocalist. She rides the school bus 35 miles every day, which poses a problem for evening activities, but she is determined and finds ways to attend. She has come a long way this past year towards her dream and nothing will get in the way of her dreams.

Here at Roosevelt we are working hard to build a culture of the pursuit of higher education. We hope to create a climate that will foster the idea of going on to a university or college, while also keeping in mind that going to a university or college is not for everyone.

On January 26th, we scheduled a visit to the UO. We needed to fill 30 seats, which seemed difficult based on our past experiences with college events. To our surprise we had over 45 students apply to go on the trip. The best part of the trip was the dialogue in the halls. In the main corridor, the students where talking about the trip to the UO, asking other students if they had been to the university, if they had been to other universities, and if they were planning to go to a university. It is events like these that help build the culture of higher education. I encourage everyone to go with students on these trips and watch as their perspectives change.