If These Youths Attend College, The Vast Majority Would Be The First in Their Family to Do So;

Hofstra Event Stresses That Higher Education is Possible for All Who Wish to Pursue It

Who: Faculty members and 22 students from Hofstra's School of Education and Allied Human Services; approximately 100 8th graders from the Reed Middle School in Central Islip and their teachers. The students ranged in abilities because the goal was for them to know that higher education is a possibility for everyone. Many of the students who participated have parents who are new citizens in the United States.  In this partnership with Central Islip, there is an emphasis getting the youths to think about continuing their education through college.

What: Hofstra University's School of Education and Allied Human Services, and specifically its Department of Curriculum and Teaching, partnered with the Reed Middle School to host this college day to introduce the 8th graders to what life is like on a college campus and to stress that the experience of attending college - whether at Hofstra or elsewhere - is a goal they should try to set for themselves. If they follow through, most of these students would be the first in their family to complete high school and attend college.

The itinerary for the day included meeting with Hofstra faculty and students and talking about the college experience; a tour of the Hofstra campus; and watching a media presentation.

When: Thursday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: The group from Central Islip met their Hofstra hosts at Hagedorn Hall, the easternmost building on Hofstra's South Campus.

Why: As the Central Islip school district is not as well performing or as well funded as other districts on Long Island, college may not be foremost on the minds of the children who attend. This event was developed to show these youths that education can be key to improving one's economic status and that college is an experience that they should strongly consider.