The College Crusade of Rhode Island Announces Winter 2014 Schedule

The College Crusade of Rhode Island Announces Winter 2014 Schedule

The College Crusade of Rhode Island has announced the start of its winter 2014 schedule, which includes dozens of free programs and activities designed to increase educational and career success for students in Rhode Island’s low-income urban communities.

College Crusade programs are offered weekdays after school, on weekends, and during school vacations. Programs range from academic enrichment and SAT test preparation to college visits, career workshops, and adventure education.

Approximately 3,700 middle school and high school students in Rhode Island are members of The College Crusade. The majority of them attend public schools in Central Falls, Cranston, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket.

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Take a look at the 2014 programs for College Crusade members:

• Step Up Conference – January 25

A Saturday conference designed to help eighth graders prepare for the transition to high school. Workshops presented by invited speakers address the high school course load, time management skills, and social issues such as bullying. Held at Times² Academy, Providence.

• Robotics Club – January & February

A robotics team that offers students in grades 8-12 the opportunity to participate in the FIRST Tech Challenge, a robotics competition hosted by New England Institute of Technology. Teams are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Meets weekly with a mentor from the Brown University Engineering Department.

• FAFSA Completion Nights – January & February

Free one-on-one assistance with completing the FAFSA form, for families of high school seniors. Financial aid professionals will be available. At various high schools in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket.

• Saturday Academy – January 25 to March 29

A 10-week multi-level academic enrichment program that helps middle school and high school students build math skills. Held at Jorge Alvarez High School, Providence.

• Writing Workshop – January 25 to April 5

Hands-on writing workshops for middle school and high school students focused on the theme of media literacy. Participants engage in critical thinking, large- and small-group discussion, and individual writing. Held Saturdays at Providence College.

• College visits – January to May

Specially arranged visits for middle school and high school students to colleges and universities in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Participants tour campus, talk to college students, and learn firsthand about the opportunities and challenges of college life.

• SAT Test Preparation – February 1 to April 26

A 12-week course in SAT preparation and practice tests for high school students. Held on Saturdays at Central High School , in Providence.

• Winter Vacation Club – February 17-21

A week of activities for middle school and high school Crusaders during February school vacation. Middle school students will participate in Exchange City, an interactive learning environment in business and civics hosted by Education in Action, and enjoy a Shadow Day campus visit to the University of Rhode Island. A featured activity for high school students is an interactive classroom seminar called Choices, which teaches young people how to see into the future and recognize the importance of the personal and academic decisions they make today. High school students will also visit two college campuses and participate in a college essay writing workshop.

• Career Day – March 1

A Saturday conference that introduces middle school students to a wide variety of career fields and career professionals. Students also learn about the educational requirements necessary for these careers. Guest speakers represent industries such as healthcare, finance, business, journalism, law and law enforcement, education, science, and technology. Held at New England Institute of Technology.

• CAAP (Crusade Adventure and Academic Program) – March 8 to May 10

A 10-week program in adventure education for middle school students that improves self-esteem and develops skills in problem solving, team building, and healthy risk taking. Includes a writing component. Held on Saturdays at Roger Williams Middle School, in Providence.

• ReadAbout – Through May

A computer-assisted learning program for sixth-grade students, using a curriculum created by Scholastic, Inc. Includes quiet reading, writing in response to text, and teacher-guided sessions. Held Saturdays at Segue Institute for Learning, Central Falls.

• Cru Club – Through May

A series of college-readiness and career-exploration programs provided to students after school and on Saturdays. Featured programs include college advising, adult mentoring, homework help, financial literacy, language arts development, art and music enrichment, science and engineering workshops, study-skills and life-skills workshops, book clubs, writing workshops, career speakers, career decision-making activities, and service learning projects. Held weekdays in Rhode Island middle schools and high schools and on Saturdays at Community College of Rhode Island, Providence campus.