For These RI Students, 2011 Spring Vacation Week Is Packed with Educational Programs and Campus Visits

Local youth from The College Crusade of Rhode Island will tour 15 colleges

Providence, R.I., April 18, 2011 – Visits to 15 colleges, a science camp, interactive workshops, and an all-day Getting to College Conference promise to keep hundreds of students in The College Crusade of Rhode Island busy learning during the coming school vacation week, April 18-22.

During the week, Crusaders will visit colleges and universities all over the region, including Brown University, Bryant University, Clark University, Johnson & Wales University, Merrimack College, Nichols College, Providence College, Regis College, Rhode Island College, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, Trinity College, University of Rhode Island, Wellesley College, and Wesleyan University. Participating students will tour campus, talk with undergraduates, and learn firsthand about the opportunities and challenges of college life. Additional spring vacation week programs for Crusaders include:

•  Choices – April 18 & 19
An interactive seminar for high school students that teaches young people to recognize how the personal, educational, and financial decisions they make today can have lasting influences on what they are able to attain in the future. Includes workshops, group exercises, and teamwork experiences. Held at Jorge Alvarez High School in Providence.

• Science Camp – April 19 & 20
Two days of hands-on projects and activities in chemistry, engineering, and electronics for middle school students, plus an introduction to how people make careers in scientific and technical fields. Held at the East Bay Educational Collaborative in Warren.

• Getting to College Conference – April 22
A conference that offers 11th-grade Crusaders a jumpstart on the college application process, including hands-on workshops on how to write an effective personal essay. Featured speakers at the conference are Priscilla Alicea, associate director of admission at Bryant College; Don Mays, associate director of admission at Roger Williams University; and Ralph Tavares, assistant director of admission at Salve Regina University. Held at Providence Career & Technical Academy.

About The College Crusade of Rhode Island
The College Crusade of Rhode Island is the state’s most comprehensive college-readiness and scholarship program for middle school and high school students in low-income urban school districts. It serves approximately 3,500 students per year and rewards their efforts and achievements with up to four years of college scholarships. From grade 6 through grade 12, Crusaders experience the steady, nurturing presence of caring adults and participate year-round in activities that focus on academic enrichment, social and personal development, career awareness and exploration, and readiness for college. Since 2001, The College Crusade has awarded over $22 million in college scholarships to more than 2,800 graduates from Rhode Island high schools. For more information, please visit www.thecollegecrusade.org.

The College Crusade is a nonprofit organization funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s GEAR UP program, by the State of Rhode Island, and by private corporations, foundations, and individuals.

###

Contact: