PHEAA Establishes Adopt-a-School Pilot Program
Matches postsecondary students and staff with middle and high school students and parents
Harrisburg, PA (January 16, 2007) - PHEAA has facilitated a unique pilot project, Adopt-a-School, matching secondary and postsecondary schools across Pennsylvania in an effort to increase the number of students who continue their education beyond high school.
The idea for the project was created in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PAESSP) and endorsed by the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association (PSCA) and the Pennsylvania Middle School Association (PMSA) – all educational partners of PHEAA.
Interaction between postsecondary students and staff and middle and high school students and parents takes places through a variety of activities, including SAT preparation classes, mentoring, after-school study sessions, bus trips to postsecondary schools, parent information nights, and EducationPlanner.org training classes. These activities are coordinated and conducted by PHEAA’s six Regional Offices, located in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Carlisle, Sharon, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport.
“We’re pleased to be able to pilot such a worthwhile venture as the Adopt-a-School project,” said Dick Willey, PHEAA President and C.E.O. “We’ve been conducting outreach activities across Pennsylvania for the past 30 years, helping students and families plan for higher education. This project, and the funding generously provided by the Board, allows us to take that to the next level by matching secondary and postsecondary schools and providing a forum for the sharing of their knowledge and experiences.”
The funds for this pilot program have been allocated from PHEAA’s business earnings by the Board of Directors as a component of PHEAA’s Continue Your Education campaign, which works to promote the importance and accessibility of higher education to students and adults in areas where college attendance rates are statistically low.
The following postsecondary and secondary schools have been matched via the Adopt-a-School project:
Smethport Junior and Senior High School in Smethport - University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
Erie East High School (with Wayne Middle School) in Erie - Mercyhurst College
Valley High School in New Kensington - Penn State Talent Search
Clairton High School in Clairton and Aliquippa High School in Aliquippa - Penn State Talent Search
Liberty High School in Liberty - PA College of Technology
Towanda High School in Towanda - Mansfield University
McCaskey High School in Lancaster - Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) at Lancaster
Lebanon High School in Lebanon - Lebanon Valley College
Reading High School in Reading - Kutztown University
Dieruff High School in Allentown - DeSales University
Rhodes High School and Fitzsimmons High School in Philadelphia - Arcadia University
Chester High School in Chester - Swarthmore College