Sitting in a local coffee shop with classical music hummingsoftly in the background, three University students realized BatonRouge and LSU have the potential to fill the void of the lack ofarts and humanities offered in some Louisiana high schools.
The students worked quickly. Within a week, Megan Scelfo, anEnglish and sociology junior, Trey Smith, a political science andcommunication studies junior and Lea Witkowski, a masscommunication and international studies junior, devised theFocusing On College and Ultimate Success, or FOCUS, program tooffer opportunities at the University to high school students fromschools that do not have as many resources as LSU.
“These students are from under-resourced areas and possiblyunderprivileged families,” Witkowski said. “These are kids whopossibly were not even considering going to college.”
Scelfo said the FOCUS program is similar to Teens Educating andMentoring Students, a program dedicated to raising LouisianaEducational Assessment Program (LEAP) scores among middle schoolchildren.
The program is designed for tenth graders in Capital HighSchool, Istrouma High School, Science and Math Academy and GlenOaks High School in East Baton Rouge and St. James parishes.
Witkowski said the team is focusing on these high schools toreach out to local high schools and serve Baton Rouge’s ownarea.
The program is in the beginning stages of development, but thefounders already have begun contacting high schools to spread theword about FOCUS.
Witkowski said FOCUS leaders will send letters advocating theprogram to parents with the students’ report cards and then willpresent the project to students at their high schools.
FOCUS will pick students based on their academic record and mayalso ask students to write why they are interested in theprogram.
Elvis Cavalier, director of school and community programs anddirector of the Science and Math Academy in Vacherie, La., said theprogram is a way for students to see first-hand the advantages theycould have by attending LSU.
“It gives our students an opportunity to go to the flagshipuniversity,” said Cavalier. “We are in a rural parish. We have verysmart children but they tend to think they need to stay local.”
Cavalier said the Academy is a magnet high school, with acurriculum heavily influenced by science and math. But there aremany artistic students at the school too. FOCUS reaches out tothese students.
Scelfo also said a reason she is involved in the program is toraise awareness about college opportunities in smallcommunities.
“A lot of people I know went to community college and didn’trealize there are state and federal programs available to fundcollege,” Scelfo said. “How can they know unless we tell them?”
Smith said 75 people will be participating in the program, whichwill last from July 2 through July 30.
The FOCUS student team hopes to recruit 16 student leaders,including the three founders, and accept 56 high schoolers to theprogram. The student leaders must be in the Honors College.
Smith said since the workshops focus on arts and sciences andphilosophy, they prefer student leaders who have knowledge in thesesubjects.
Smith said students will fill out applications about theirinterest programs such as FOCUS. They will be chosen based upon howwell they will work with other students. Smith said FOCUS willchoose applicants “blindly” without knowing which schools theyattend.
The last informational meetings to recruit FOCUS student leaderswill take place Thursday night at 8 p.m. in the French House.
Smith said classes will take place in the French House and willprovide free housing and food for both high school students andstudent leaders.
FOCUS will offer workshops for music, theater, dance, studioart, which includes painting, drawing and sculpting; creativewriting and philosophy.
Smith said the University student teachers will try toincorporate a literary component in all of the workshops.
Though they will work during the day, the students will haveopportunities to play at night and enjoy the culture of the cityand the University.
Witkowski said University student leaders will bring thestudents to plays, museums and art exhibits and will encourage themto participate in poetry slams, and direct and participate indramatic plays.
The student leaders also will take the high school students ontwo “excursions” during the program to see Baton Rouge’s culturaland historical attractions.
“We want to show them how you can see art in something you didnot expect, like the State Capitol,” Witkowski said.
The founders said since the program is free for students, FOCUS’goal is to raise $100,000 for the program through grants andbusinesses donations, ideally $1,000 per child.
Each student will work on a project in a certain area of his orher interest and present it to their parents, administrators anddonors, in a presentation called “Final Focus Friday.”
The FOCUS team plans to stay with the tenth graders throughouttheir high school journey and their future educational plans.
“We plan on maintaining relationships with them and talking tothem when they take the ACT, apply for college and apply forfinancial aid,” Scelfo said.
Witkowski said one of FOCUS’ goals is to give students auniversity-like experience and get them interested in coming toLSU.
“Our philosophy is, ‘Everyone is a student,’ because we are allhere to learn,” Witkowski said.