43
College program zeros in on Youngstown and Warren students
By Denise Dick
WARREN
A nonprofit organization is increasing the number of students in the Mahoning Valley’s two urban school districts who are talking about college.
Mahoning Valley College Access Program saw increases in the number of students in Warren and Youngstown city schools receiving individual or group advising sessions about college and those completing federal financial-aid applications between 2014 and 2015.
The organization’s trustees hired a consultant in 2011 to measure its accomplishments during its 1 0-year existence and make recommendations for goals.
“The study found there was still a need and recommended that we drill back to Youngstown and Warren city schools specifically because there’s a bigger need,” said Lita Wills, MVCAP executive director since late 2012.
Between 2014 and 2015, the number of Chaney and East High and Choffin Career and Technical Center students who received individual advising increased 61 percent. The number participating in group advising increased 59 percent, and those completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid rose 70 percent.
Warren’s numbers increased 31 percent, 107 percent and 70 percent for individual advising, group advising and FAFSA completion, respectively.
Superintendents at both districts give the program good grades.
“It’s basically a win-win,” said Stephen Stohla, Youngstown interim superintendent. “We don’t have to pay anything, we get more bang for the buck and our kids get the benefit.”
Steve Chiaro, Warren superintendent, believes MVCAP has been an asset for the district and its students.
“They’ve been real advocates for our kids,” he said.
Since Wills became executive director, the program has expanded to include a reading program for second-graders, Chiaro said.
Though the program has no data on the number of graduates who remain in college from the two districts, the Warren superintendent believes more students from his district are enrolling.
He pointed to the increase in students who complete the FAFSA forms.
“Those forms are cumbersome for students to complete,” Chiaro said, but the college guides help students complete them.
The organization relies on grants and money generated through fundraising. It receives no federal or state funding.
MVCAP starts working with students in elementary school to get them thinking about college. Assistance continues in middle school and intensifies in high school.
MVCAP uses Ohio College Guides through AmeriCorps who work with high school guidance counselors and other officials to provide the assistance to students. Those guides are recent college graduates, and they develop relationships and rapport with the high school students, Chiaro said.
Wills said those guides provide students with check lists, depending on grade level, of what they should be doing to prepare for college or career. They also provide interest assessments to help students identify potential career paths.
The program, for example, instructs high school juniors to take the ACT test that year. Fee waivers are available for low-income students.
By taking it in the junior year, students who want to improve their scores can retake it their senior year.
College, scholarship and FAFSA applications come during senior year.
MVCAP also helps students ensure their course schedule coincides with their college, trade school or other plans, Wills said.
Students who plan to attend a trade school also can benefit by completing a FAFSA. That financial aid may be applied to that training.
The federal aid, though, is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis so it’s important to submit information on time.
Many students need such assistance because as first-generation college students, no one at home can walk them through the necessary steps, she said.
“Sometimes it’s as easy as that,” Wills said.
MVCAP also offered incentives to encourage students to apply for college or complete the FAFSA. If a certain number of applications were completed, the school got a pizza party or students were entered for a gift-card drawing.
The organization directs students to other resources, too, such as college websites.
Some students may not even realize that college is an option open to them, Wills said.
MVCAP doesn’t target high achievers although the organization will help those students if needed. Other groups provide assistance to those students.
“The priority for us is to be a safety net for the rest of the kids,” Wills said.