VISION

The vision of the Through College Mentor Program is that all participants from Roseland University Prep and Roseland Collegiate Prep will graduate with a Bachelor's degree or a certificate program with the support of a one-on-one mentor.

MISSION

The mission of the Through College Mentor Program is to provide one-on-one support to high school juniors, seniors and alumni enrolled in their freshman year of college to ensure that:

1. High school students accomplish all tasks necessary to apply and enroll in college. 
2. High school students are exposed to the world outside of their school and community, to gain life experiences.
3.  All students obtain the necessary skills to be successful in high school and college.
4. Graduates of Roseland University Prep and Roseland Collegiate Prep persist and are successful through college despite the many challenges they may face.

PROGRAM DETAILS

The Through College Mentor Program supports our high school juniors and seniors in obtaining the skills necessary to be successful in college and accomplish all tasks necessary to apply and enroll in college. This includes academic support as well as exposure to new experiences, cultures and places outside of the Roseland community to better prepare them for the real world. The program also supports graduates to persist and be successful through college despite the many challenges they may face. By providing one-on-one community volunteer mentors for all qualified juniors and seniors in high school we are able to increase graduation rate indicators (school connectedness, interaction with a positive caring adult and student goal setting) and increase college going and college persistence rates for our students who typically may not have attended college at all! 

Our mentors each commit to: 

• Connecting with their scholars at least twice a month (one academic and one social focus a month) for a minimum of three years, although staying in contact after the commitment term is completed is absolutely encouraged.
• Assisting with the completion of items necessary for college entrance,
• Introducing their mentee to new experiences and places
• Serving as a positive role model 
• Motivating mentees when challenges arise. 

MENTORS

Through College Mentors are volunteers who provide extra one-on-one support to high school juniors, seniors and college freshmen. The mentors work one-one-one with a student to prepare for college and really focus on their educational success and exposure to new opportunities. A mentor assists with college applications, scholarships, and anything else school related that comes up. 

We have found that these two years are when our scholars are most at risk of losing focus. Because of this we match our scholars with a stable adult who can provide guidance, support and friendship. Studies show that just one stable adult in a young person's life can change the entire trajectory of an at-risk youth's success and we believe that we owe our successes to the meaningful relationships that are forged with volunteer mentors and staff. 

HISTORY

The Through College Mentor Program was founded in 2011 by the "Roseland School District Through College Task Force."  In 2008 Roseland University Prep graduated its first class. In reflecting on the fact that college retention rates in California are at 40%, Roseland School District decided to be proactive in determining ways to support their students successful completion of college and training programs. As a result in 2010, Superintendent, Gail Ahlas, and the Director of Curriculum, Laurie Biggers, convened a group of 20 representatives from pre-school through college to engage in a planning process that guided the district in addressing the "through college" challenges and the changes needed to arrive at solutions. An in depth study was conducted to analyze alumni success in college and the actions that needed to happen in the district to increase students success in college.  The "Through College" planning process wrapped-up with two written reports—an Action Plan with implementation tasks and a 20-page report describing the findings from the various data sources. One of the action items was to create the Through College Mentor Program.

The Through College Mentor Program began with Roseland School District teachers mentoring high school students during their senior year and then into their freshman year of college. In 2012, the Through College Mentor Program expanded to include Community Members as mentors.  As of 2012, the Through College Mentor Program has served over 100 students.