Rainier Scholars students on a life-changing journey
Seizing all opportunities on the pathway to college
By Jacqueline Koch
Boost! Collective is proud to showcase one of our clients, Rainier Scholars, which has been making a meaningful difference in the lives of young students and in our community. Our team has joined their team to shine a brighter light on Rainier Scholars, its successes and to share them with a broader audience. For a new website design which is currently in progress, we are taking a story-driven approach—with a focus on “show, don’t tell”—speaking directly to the student and putting rich imagery to work to inspire and engage. As we take this project forward, we’ve had eye-opening experiences meeting a few of the scholars. We are excited to share a little of what we’ve witnessed.
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Hands held high, excitement brimming, the students announce their questions.
“What is the student-to-teacher ratio?”
“How does your school define diversity?”
“Do you have a challenging curriculum?”
Yes, these are considerations I might have entertained as a high school senior heading to college in the fall. But these animated students aren’t in high school. They’re 6th graders.
Wait a minute. These kids are not only young, they are astoundingly articulate and very well informed about the factors that will shape the quality of their education. How did they become subject matter experts on academia at such a young age?
The distinction they all share is that they are in the Rainier Scholars program. They are participating in a 12-year program that provides access to life-changing educational opportunities. Rainier Scholars prepares students to graduate from a four-year college or university and become career professionals and leaders in our community. The group of students I’m watching today is in the first phase of a rigorous 14-month-long academic program. It is a complement to their regular schooling, hosted at South Shore K-8 in Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood.
Hovering above the group of 65 students and standing on a chair, Liz Sadler is packing a lot of energy. Interim Academic Director for Rainier Scholars, she leads this weekly assembly and today’s focus is an upcoming school fair. The kids are practicing the art of introducing themselves to and interviewing with private school admissions reps. She added a few key points she wants the students to remember.
Living up to higher standards
“You’re stepping up to higher standards, you’re stepping out of your comfort zone, be sure to let everyone you meet with know that.”
So what else do all these kids have in common? They are all from low-income families. And, more than likely, they will all be the first in their family to graduate from college. They are all students of color. And as Rainier Scholars, they have all embarked on their personal 12-year, life-changing journey to go to college.
Kids entering the Rainier Scholar program hail from 35-40 different schools across three school districts: Seattle, Highline and Renton. The program begins in the fifth grade and starts with six weeks in summer school. Scholars then go on to attend after-school and weekend programs for the entire academic year. All told, they participate in an additional 1000 school hours to step into advanced-level, college preparatory-focused public and private schools.
I met Brandon, a boy with bright eyes, full of anticipation and a professed love for sports. “I’m looking for teachers that want to be teachers,” he informs me about a key factor in his school choice for next year. This resonated with a few things Sarah Smith, executive director of Rainier Scholars, had explained earlier.
Learning to advocate for yourself
“We teach them to be self-advocates,” she said, “and to become consumers of education, so that they know what choices they have when it comes to educational opportunities.”
Rainier Scholars offers four pillars of support to students through this academic journey: Academic Enrichment, Academic Counseling and Support, Leadership Development, and College Support. Understanding that participating in a rigorous, long-term educational program can be extremely challenging for students and their families, the program connects students with a community that will provide encouragement, guidance, and direction as they make decisions about their futures.
It is a long journey and scholars face many critical transition moments along the pathway to college, Smith said, adding: “It can be hard to walk between multiple worlds and positive identity development is a critical piece of success in these environments which were not necessarily built for you.”
My attention returns to Brandon, who has moved on to practice introducing himself to another student and other interviewing skills. I watch him. He’s challenged by the task. He is clearly trying to push through the social awkwardness and expand his comfort zone. But the excitement in his face is also unmistakable, and he is poised and ready for his next big chapter on this journey.
This is where being a Rainier Scholar comes into play. Brandon’s not going to be watching from the sidelines. He’s going to be a part of the action, and able to access a full range of opportunities when determining his next academic opportunity and his future.
Boost! Collective is a story-driven marketing and communications firm. We discover, create and tell the powerful stories that drive deep engagement with your audiences.
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