Students Bound for Chicago College Tour
This summer eleven Good Samaritan Community Services MODELO high school students traveled to Chicago for a college campus tour. The students traveled 30 hours by Amtrak train to visit Loyola University, Northwestern and University of Chicago. The students will also visit St. James Episcopal Cathedral, the Art Institute, a Cubs game, and tour the Sears Tower and Chicago Harbor.
Also this summer, 40 MODELO students visited: Angelo State, Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, UT Austin, Trinity, Our Lady of the Lake University, Incarnate Word University, Texas State, Texas Lutheran, UTSA and Rice University. The following Universities will send representatives to visit Good Samaritan Community Services this summer: Valparaiso in IN, Brandeis in MA, Sewanee in TN, and Michigan State University.
“The trips we take during the summer really help motivate and inspire our high school students to do their very best academically throughout the school year,” says MODELO Coordinator Maria Fernandez. Each student is able to choose which colleges and universities they would like to visit each summer. The trips are full day trips which average 15 students.
While on the college campus, the students took a campus tour, met with admission advisors to learn what they look for in their college acceptance essays and references, and were introduced to college students who answer questions about dorm life, meals and campus activities. “After each trip our students are so energized. They are practically ready to fill out their application that day!” says Fernandez.
MODELO is the Spanish word that means "model." The students also know it as an acronym standing for "Mentoring Others through Developmental, Educational, Leadership, and Opportunities." The program works as a model or guide for high school youth as they prepare for college in helping them to recognize their options and opportunities. The students are gathered from two of the largest at-risk inner city school districts in the San Antonio area.
Every year, the MODELO program exceeds the year before. In 2006, all 13 of our MODELO senior high graduates were accepted into four year universities and received a total of $127,000 in scholarships.
This program is just one of the successful programs at Good Samaritan Community Services. In order to help more students achieve their dreams, we are seeking your donations of support. We invite you to visit the MODELO program anytime. Please help us continue to spread the good news.
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