ATLANTA — It’s the first day of spring break for some of the metro's largest school districts. Some juniors and seniors are using the class pause to get an inside look at what could be their next adventure: college.
For Janiyah Tucker, a senior in Rockdale County, the transition admittedly brings up a series of emotions.
“It’s a little exciting, it's a bit heartbreaking, it's a bit nerve-wracking,” she said.
Tucker was among the juniors and seniors who spent Monday touring Georgia Institute of Technology's campus as part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta’s college and career readiness pathway program.
“It's about exposure,” Dr. Anna Jones, director of the club’s program, explained. “It's about taking them to college campuses, college fairs, career fairs, and all the things they need to do to make their decisions.”
During spring break, Jones is accompanying the teens to college campuses, including Georgia Tech, the University of West Georgia, and Alabama A&M. The teens, she said, were all selected based on essays they had to submit.
Tucker shared that the trips help start the process when it comes to big decisions like college choice.
“(Students are) looking at tuition and fees, applications,” she shared. “They're looking at all sorts of stuff. Just basically what school makes them feel like they're at home.”
For Terrence Labonte Postell, a junior, the visits are about laying the groundwork for the year ahead.
“It paints a pathway,” Labonte Postell said. “It feels like it's preparing me for what... applying to colleges is going to be like.”
Meanwhile, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta is reporting success with its program. Last school year, 91 percent of members achieved timely graduation and landing opportunities in college, jobs, or the military. Yet, the college and work-ready programs are not only for older teen members.
“I have a kindergarten through fifth-grade college and career readiness curriculum,” Jones said. “We also have a middle school workforce readiness curriculum.”
Students build on skills garnered throughout the year, but the campus visits mark a significant milestone for the older students. Families should also know that the programming is free for high school students.
“To know that someone like the Boys & Girls Club is available and is an option to be able to tour colleges like this is amazing,” Tucker shared of the experience. “It always feels like someone's always in my pocket or in my corner helping.”
To find your local club, learn more about year-round programming or enroll in summer activities, visit here.