College guide program paying off

There’s a program going on at William Monroe High School that may be responsible for nearly doubling the number of students interested in pursuing post-secondary education.
The program is called the College Guide Program. Launched by the University of Virginia in the fall of 2005, the program places young people fresh out of university in high schools and community colleges to work alongside counselors and other college access organizations. Its aim is to create a college-going culture, and at WMHS, it seems to be working.
“In 2005 58 students took the SAT Reasoning Test. In 2009 105 took the test,” said WMHS Dean of Students Margery Farner.
The SAT tests student’s knowledge of reading, writing and mathematics and assesses critical thinking skills. It is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors to determine how they think, solve problems and communicate.
The test is also one of the best predictors of how well students will do in college, according to the College Board.
The percentage of WMHS students pursuing post secondary education —- whether it is in the military, at career and technical schools, or two- or four-year colleges — fluctuates from year to year.
“Over the past five years our percentages have ranged from 68 percent to 80 percent,” said Farner.
But the increased numbers of students taking the SAT shows that more are considering continuing education after high school —and getting them to think about it is what the program is all about.
According to the U.Va. Web site, statistics show that although 79 percent of Virginians ages 18 to 24 have high school diplomas, only 53 percent attend college directly out of high school. The guide program aims to address a widening gap in college access for low-income, first generation and under-represented groups.
“It was a perfect fit for me,” said Dreama Montrief Johnson, the current WMHS college guide. “I am a first generation college student. My father did not go to college. My mother attended night school for five years to earn an associates degree. They allowed me to choose to go to college or not.”
One choice she made was to find the money to attend college. Another was to major in religious studies, and yet another was to give back.
“My passion for helping others is deeply rooted in my religious beliefs,” Johnson said. “When I was applying for jobs I wanted to do something that would allow me to serve the community. The whole idea of the College Guide Program is to help students think about what they can do after high school,” Johnson said.
She assists students with a variety of activities and chores that may include but are not limited to: preparations for the SAT; scholarship searches; essay and resume writing and filling out applications.
“She has been a huge help to me,” said WMHS senior Brittany Taylor, who wants to go to Virginia Tech to study business and communication. “She makes really complicated things simple. She helps me organize my papers and get ahead instead of getting overwhelmed.”
Johnson is also co-sponsor of the WMHS Community Service Club: “I was blown away when I learned that students had raised $18,000 in 2008 and another $10,000 this year for the school’s Athletic Foundation,” she said.
Johnson is referring to the club’s effort to raise money, via a golf tournament, for the Adam Fargo Memorial House, named for a member of the WMHS Class of 2002 killed while searching out and clearing improvised explosive devices in Iraq.
Brittaney Shifflett, a member of the Class of 2008, spearheaded the effort, sponsored by the Greene County Ruritans, that consisted of WMHS sophomores, juniors and seniors.
“The club is also working with the Greene Alliance of Church and Community Efforts to deliver food and gifts to people in need,” said Johnson. “They have the opportunity to bring joy to families. Hopefully, they'll keep the memory of that experience close, and continue to give to others.”
The group will also be putting on another golf tournament, currently scheduled for May 10 at the Greene Hills Country Club.
And Johnson won’t be stopping with her experience at WMHS. College guides serve two-year terms, so she will be moving on at the end of this year to further her own education, and to become a member of the Governor”s Advisory Board on National and Community Service.
Since its inception the program has worked with more than 60,000 students and their parents. It began as a U.Va. initiative and expanded nationwide as the National College Advising Corps.
Of the program overall, Farner said: “Over the last five years college guides have allowed our guidance staff to better prepare students to transition into post-secondary education. They are trained with current information that assists both the students and the guidance staff.”