The Eta class will spend parts of the next three summers on campus learning from Elon University faculty and preparing to apply to college.
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Twenty-seven rising sophomores from the Alamance-Burlington School System have been selected to join the sixth class of scholars in the Elon Academy, a college access and success program for academically promising students, on the Elon University campus.
On Saturday, May 5, the new cohort arrived on campus with their families to take a campus tour, complete paperwork and physical exams, enjoy lunch in McKinnon, and meet with current scholars, families, faculty and student mentors. With the new cohort, the Elon Academy is now serving 137 scholars and more than 350 family members.
Twenty Alpha class scholars have just completed their second year of college and 19 Beta scholars are completing their freshman year. Twenty-four Gamma scholars will be off to college in the fall. This summer, the Eta Class scholars will join the 56 scholars in the Delta and Epsilon classes who will be returning to Elon as rising seniors and juniors.
The 73 high school students will spend a month on the Elon campus taking academic courses during the day including personal finance, philosophy, herpetology, criminology, engineering, creative writing, cognitive science, political science, sustainable food production, and music. All scholars will participate in college planning classes which include organizational and study skills, SAT preparation, the college application process, and securing financial aid. The evening curriculum includes golf, racquetball, dance, swimming, drama, personal defense, art and tennis.
On Saturdays scholars will be engaged in leadership development classes and community service projects. Scholars will also have the opportunity to take college trips to visit a variety of colleges and universities so that they can begin to consider which school is the best fit for them. Elon University students and faculty members, along with other educators in the area, mentor scholars and teach classes.
Elon Academy staff worked closely with advocates from all six high schools, River Mill Public Charter School, and staff from the Alamance-Burlington School System to identify, select, and support these bright, highly motivated, local students who dream of pursuing a college education.
The Eta class and high school advocates for the Elon Academy include:
Hugh M. Cummings High School
Korey Crisp
Lemuel Currie Jr.
Ariyanna Miles
Yesenia Morales
Tamara Royster
Angelica Maria Villanueva
William E. Wade
Advocate: Sandra Burns, Assistant Principal
Eastern Alamance High School
Kaitlyn Cardwell
Kile W. Hodgin
Elijah Moore
Advocate: Michelle Ammann, Assistant Principal
Graham High School
Jesus Camacho Benitez
Jose Luis Morales-Santos
Ricardo Morales-Santos
Quinton Rone
Madeline Wilvers
Advocate: Daniel Camp III, Assistant Principal and Stacey Frazier, School Counselor
Southern Alamance High School
Katie Durham
Viviana Gonzalez
Kris Legette
Brittany Mitchell
Taylor Blair Moore
Advocate: Cindy Preuss, Assistant Principal
Walter M. Williams High School
Imoni D. Bradsher
Ahaoma Promise Nwoko
Juan Tisnado
Advocate: Carole Workman, Teacher
River Mill Academy
Kena Brincefield
Meaghan Gerringer
Nathanial Hendrix
Jessica Judy
Advocate: Karen Gobel, School Counselor
Launched by Elon University in 2007, the Elon Academy is an intensive college access and success program for local high school students with high financial need or no family history of attending college. It combines a month-long residential program over three successive summers with follow-up experiences during the academic year. The Academy is a multi-year, year round program beginning in the summer after the ninth grade and continuing to and through college.
Although the Elon Academy was launched by Elon University, the program is not funded through tuition dollars. The sustainability of the Academy is dependent on the generosity of individuals, businesses, organizations, and foundations.
For more information: www.elon.edu/elonacademy.