Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PROVO — In hopes of inspiring an early commitment to college, BYU students welcomed 950 fifth- and sixth-grade students from Title I schools to campus Friday morning.
The exploratory event, Project Youth, seeks to provide both information and motivation to at-risk students who may not yet be considering college. It has been hosted by BYU’s Center for Service and Learning for 26 years.
“The idea behind Project Youth is to bring kids to college to encourage them to make college a priority,” said Nery Ralon, a student program director. “As students from Title I schools, the numbers are already stacked against them.”
A former Title I school student himself, Ralon said he's deeply committed to Project Youth and its mission. His father never completed elementary school, and his mother has a high school education, Ralon said, so college was not often discussed.
“There just wasn’t a vision for me,” he said. “Every parent wants their kid to do something great. They just didn’t know how.”
Since entering BYU at age 21, Ralon has become increasingly committed to helping low-income kids access higher education. He joined Project Youth last fall.
“The idea behind Project Youth is to bring kids to college to encourage them to make college a priority. As students from Title I schools, the numbers are already stacked against them.” -Nery Ralon, student program director
Project Youth is “centrally” youth-directed, according to Center for Service Learning Director Chris Crippens.
Ralon and his four co-directors are responsible for all of the event’s programming, including training volunteers, recruiting professors and booking speakers. Although the event is only one day, Ralon said they have been planning since October.
“It’s inspiring watching what these kids do," Crippens said. “When kids put down their chemistry books and pick up their service gloves, they achieve a balance. College is all about 'me, me, me.' … This allows them to focus on what matters, to get outside of one’s self.”
The long-awaited day began at 9 a.m. Friday as buses from the Provo, Alpine and Nebo school districts began to roll in. Students were divided into small groups, each led by a volunteering BYU student.
Much of the morning was spent rotating between presentations by professors, departments and clubs. Often, professors spoke directly to the elementary school students, but opportunities to sit in on active college classes were also provided.
“We want them to feel that energy and see what it’s like,” Crippens said.
Project Youth also featured a “Power Rally,” which included celebrations of several different cultures represented on BYU’s campus. Dancers from Latin America, the Pacific islands and a Native American tribe performed in traditional garb, and the BYU Capoeira club demonstrated the popular Brazilian martial art.
In what many students considered the highlight of the day, BYU running back Paul Lasike gave the event’s keynote address, “Things I Have Learned on My Journey.” Lasike, who also plays rugby at BYU, spoke about his relationship to education and path to college.
“I would encourage each and every one of you to take education very seriously,” he said.
The students, for their part, seemed to take his message to heart.
“It was very educational and a good learning experience,” said Katherine Mota, a fifth-grader at Provost Elementary. “I feel like it encouraged almost everybody to go to college."
Provo Peaks fifth-grader Gartee Bills agreed.
"To get a life, you need to get your diploma," she said. Email: aoligschlaeger@deseretnews.com
