Teens To Taste College Life At Aurora University Sunday-Wednesday

AURORA, Ill, June 20, 2007- Aurora University will host College Ready, a first-ever program giving a preview of college life to 14 local high school students, from Sunday through Wednesday (June 24-27).

Sophomores and juniors from West Aurora, Waubonsie Valley, Nequa Valley, Oswego East, and Naperville Central high schools will experience college life in classes with homework assignments, live in dormitory rooms, and sample campus-cafeteria fare.

Culminating six months of planning, College Ready is designed to give students reasonable expectations about college, both inside and outside the classroom.

The program opens Sunday when high school students move into resident-hall rooms. Other Sunday events are a welcome for students and parents, dinner, residence hall floor meeting, a theme night, and reflections and sharing.

Monday and Tuesday, students will experience 90-minute courses taught by AU faculty members in poetry, leadership, science, and law; complete homework, hold a theme night, and share reflections.

The program concludes Wednesday with a skit by high-school students on “Here Is What I Have Learned.”

In addition to the university, co-sponsors are Associated Colleges of Illinois, Chicago; Communities in Schools, Aurora; and the Quad County Urban League, Aurora.

Leading activities will be four AU instructors, current students and resident hall advisors. Student leaders are AU sophomores and juniors majoring in education, criminal justice, mathematics, nursing and social work. A number of volunteers will be participating as well, including several employees of Nissan.

- END -