LIFT College Access Program Completes Successful Semester

The LIFT college access-mentoring program (C.A.M.P) would like to say thank you for your sponsorship during the spring 2010-2011 pilot program! The program was 8-weeks long and taught students about college utilizing the “Know how 2 go” college access model, while simultaneously having discussions about pressing issues that face them as teens. The LIFT program reached approximately 24 first and second year Urbana high school students, with about 19 students that attended weekly meetings from 4-6pm on Wednesday evenings on a consistent basis. The program also had the support of 16 dedicated University of Illinois mentors, ranging from freshmen to seniors. 

LIFT students did multiple goal setting activities, created vision boards, had one on one sessions with mentors, group discussions, and completed hands-on activities related to the curriculum. As part of a discussion on sexual assault and dating violence, LIFT students had guest speakers from R.A.C.E.S (rape, advocacy, counseling, education, services) in Urbana come to share valuable information on the topic. Students in the LIFT program had a few opportunities to come to campus with mentors.  For example students were invited to the Chris Gardner lecture (author of the “The Pursuit of Happyness”) at the Illini Union, bowling in the Illini Union Rec room, and students were also invited to participate in a mentor shadow day on campus. LIFT also sponsored a movie night at the Urbana Neighborhood connections center (UNCC) for students and mentors to interact outside of the program.