Two Elon Academy staff members and four Elon Academy scholars—two high school scholars and two college scholars—presented at the North Carolina College Access Conference in Durham Feb. 22.
Jonathan Garcia-Pena (Cummings High School senior), Elizabeth Tish (Graham High School senior), Stacey Crutchfield (Elon University sophomore), and Jaron Torain (Saint Augustine’s College sophomore) served on a panel led by Darris Means, Elon Academy Associate Director, and Dr. Kim Pyne, Elon Academy Assistant Director of Academic Programs and Assistant Professor of English and Education.
Their presentation, “The Journey to College: Perspectives from Underrepresented High School and College Students in a College Access and Success Program” explored the students’ experiences in the Elon Academy.
Launched by Elon University in 2007, the Elon Academy is a college access and success program for academically-promising high school students with a financial need and/or no family history of college. It combines a month-long residential program over three successive summers with follow-up experiences during the academic year. Elon Academy staff work closely with advocates from all six high schools, River Mill Public Charter School, as well as Alamance-Burlington School System staff to identify, select, and support these bright, highly motivated, local students who dream of a college education. Support for students continues through their college graduation.