November 1, 2004

Federally Funded Program at Boise State Provides Computers, Printers for Local Schools, Agency

Several Boise public schools and the Boys and Girls Club of Ada County recently received computers, printers and college and career resource materials as part of a federally funded program at Boise State University to promote post-secondary education and career exploration. The equipment and materials were delivered to Fort Boise Mid-High School, Franklin Elementary, Koelsch Elementary and the Boys and Girls Club as part of the three-year, $197,123 grant from the TRIO Dissemination Partnership, said Valerie Cleary, program director. In addition, Boise State student interns are spending 12-15 hours a week at each location working with students. A majority of the students served by TRIO programs are from limited income backgrounds, and will be the first in their families to earn college degrees.  According to Cleary, the goals of the TRIO grant are to help develop college/career centers and peer tutoring programs at each location and assist in technology development and integration. A two-week summer program for students that supports these goals is also planned. Boise State students who are working as paid interns said the TRIO project is also providing opportunities to serve as role models for what can be accomplished by staying in school. "I am a first generation college student, and I can definitely relate to the kids I work with," said Carlos Luna, a junior from Idaho Falls majoring in international business at Boise State who is spending 12-15 hours a week at the Boys and Girls Club in Garden City. "It's a really big step to go to college when itıs not something that your parents have done."             Patty Almeida, a sophomore from Caldwell majoring in criminal justice at Boise State, is enthusiastic about developing a peer tutoring program at Fort Boise Mid-High as part of her internship. "My dad in Mexico only went through the sixth grade, and my mom only went through the fifth," said Almeida, who credits her participation in another TRIO program, Upward Bound, with helping motivate her to graduate from Caldwell High School in 2003 and enroll in college.  Almeida said she is grateful for the opportunity to work with high school students as part of the grant because she understands how important external support can be. The federal TRIO programs administered through Boise State include many outreach and support programs targeted to serve and assist low-income, first generation college students, and students with disabilities, to progress through the academic pipeline from elementary school to postbaccalaureate programs. The programs include Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound, Student Success Program, Ronald McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, TRIO Dissemination Partnership, and the Educational Opportunity Center. Contact: Valerie Cleary, TRIO Dissemination Project, (208) 426-3572, vcleary@boisestate.edu Media Contact: Janelle Brown, communications and marketing, (208) 426-1790, jbrown2@boisestate.edu