College of Education News

For the past six weeks, 20 students from Central and Centennial high schools have been hard at work researching why there is an underrepresentation of minority students from Champaign attending the University of Illinois.

These students were selected based on income criteria and academic performance to participate in the AP Scholars Academy and Summer Institute, a program designed to prepare underserved students for Advanced Placement courses and for education beyond high school.

A collaboration between the College of Education and Champaign Unit 4 high schools, the program has given students the opportunity to conduct research in a university setting.

Funding for the program comes indirectly from the Obama Stimulus Package, said D'Andre Weaver, an English teacher at Centennial High School and graduate student in the Department of Educational and Organizational Leadership at the College of Education. Weaver spearheaded the effort to secure stimulus money and continues to coach the students on daily basis.

"We want the kids to truly understand why education is important, to gain skills that they can use in rigorous college preparatory classes, and to have a huge desire to want to continue on in a post-secondary education," Weaver said.

After weeks of research now the students are prepared to showcase their findings. On Thursday, July 23, 2009, from 8 to 10 p.m. at the I-Hotel and Conference Center, 1900 S. First St., the students will make their final presentations to University officials and Champaign Unit 4 leadership.

The students worked in three separate groups according to different tasks that needed to be accomplished- literature reviews, survey administration and interviews. At the final presentation, each group will present their findings, and provide a cohesive overview of the research they have done.

Shywon Berry, a graduate student in Educational Policy Studies, led the survey group, but said she has seen progress from all of the participants over the duration of the summer-long program.

"They've taken to studying the research process and actually engaging in it," Berry said. "They've progressed phenomenally, exponentially."

She said she has high expectations for the presentations this Thursday. "I'm excited to see the students to take ownership of the work that they have done, and recommend some policy changes that they would like to see in their schools," Berry said.

Mildred Trent, Assistant Dean for Diversity and Equity said high expectations for the students have been in place since day one. She said while some students were initially nervous about participating in a project at the college level, they have risen to the challenge.

"We said, we believe you can do it, it's a matter of opening your mind to what you can accomplish," Trent said.

Asilah Patterson, who will be a junior at Central High in the fall, said the wealth of knowledge she has gained from participating in the program, and the research that will be presented at the culmination of the project has opened her eyes to new possibilities not just for herself.

"I used to be all for myself, I'm going to make it, I'm going to be the black person that succeeds," Patterson said. "Now it's not about that anymore; it's about me succeeding, and about me helping my peers succeed."

For more information about the College of Education, contact our Communications Office at 217-244-8335 or email communications@education.illinois.edu