To help combat the problem of drop-outs and students who don’t feel supported or can’t find the right guidance, Goodwill Industries has partnered with a college preparation and mentoring program that is working this year with 8,900 students in Forsyth County.
In August, the Crosby Scholar program will be available to all Iredell-Statesville Schools and Mooresville Graded School District students.
It will initially be open to just sixth through 10th graders, and then grow to include juniors and seniors in subsequent years. Iredell will be the third county in the state with a Crosby Scholar program, following Forsyth, where it was founded in 1992, and Rowan, where it expanded to in 2013.
“This is a gift that just fell in our lap,” said Iredell-Statesville Schools Superintendent Brady Johnson.
Program designed to build leadership, character, life skills
College preparation, goal setting and community service are the main pillars of the Crosby Scholar program.
Throughout the program, there are many opportunities for service and college visits, along with annual recognition and the encouragement of a drug-free lifestyle.
“Guidance counselors cannot provide the time that it takes to do a thorough search of financial aid and school choices and which school is a good fit and whether you’re going to have the credentials,” said Suzanne Wegmiller, who will direct the program in Iredell. “It also just helps them with some test preparation, with time management, all things that most parents want their kids to be better at. And it’s free.”
Goodwill Industries is paying for the program to be free in Iredell. Wegmiller said that enrollment would likely open in August. While no site has been chosen for meetings, she said she was hoping to work with Mitchell Community College to set up northern and southern locations in the county.
Read full article on the Statesville Record & Landmark
