The Collegiate 100 at Prairie View A&M University is on the move as it teams up with Highland Heights Elementary School in the Acres Home area of Houston for its Real Men Read Program on October 20.
Highland is a charter school that serves grades PK-5. It has received a Great-Schools rating of 7 out of 10 based on its performance on state standardized tests.
The program, designed to enhance early childhood literacy by improving the reading and comprehension ability of the students, is the first of its kind in the district to involve the men of the community. Prominent men from the community and college students such as those from the Collegiate 100 organization have committed to read to the students once a month and may expand to twice during the spring semester.
In addition to the readings, the Collegiate 100 Vice President Dymonique Burton and Secretary Chris Shelton, both senior architect students, explained to the students the importance of education and reading. Burton and Shelton were very impressed with the students and how they responded to their questions. According to Shelton, "I am very excited to work with the Highland Heights students and to reach offer a helping hand to the children. I was touched tremendously when I saw the faces of the students light up in excitement to read."
Ms. Shanica Smith, fifth grade teacher at the school, was elated and excited that the students would travel from Prairie View A&M University for the program. “Am very impressed with The Collegiate men for their commitment and the way they connected with the students. We look forward to seeing them in November,” Smith commented. Dymonique stated that the students made an impact on them so they committed to read twice a month instead. “We are delighted to work with the kids and to give something back. I can’t remember having men sit down and read to me, so this program means a lot to us and the kids,” said Dymonique, also the Mentoring Chair for the Collegiate 100.
The Collegiate 100 is also engaged in mentoring kids in Cyfair ISD were all eighteen members are certified to participate in the program. The chapter has also teamed up with University College and is sponsoring a series of seminars for the freshmen students. Additionally, the chapter is assisting with the establishment and chartering of the 100 Collegiate Women of America, sort of a sister organization to improve the quality of life for college women and girls in general.
The Chapter will induct ten new members on November 11, who no doubt will be involved in the chapter’s programming.
The Collegiate 100 is a mentoring organization sponsored by the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc. Travis Reed, a senior architect student, is president of the Collegiate 100. The advisers are Dr. Clement Glenn and Frederick V. Roberts.
For information on the Collegiate, go to http://collegiate100prairieviewamuniversity.blogspot.com/ or write: collegiate100pvamu@gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment