Dodd Middle School Students, Parents Inspired By Early College Awareness Program

Nearly 400 students and parents from J. W. Dodd Middle School got a jump on college preparation, thanks to the school’s fifth annual Early College Awareness Day held at the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Old Westbury.

The program provided information on financial aid, scholarships, the importance of extra-curricular activities and dormitory life so that students can plan for a successful college experience.

 “Many students were very impressed with the program,” said Gisselle Campbell-Ham, dean of students at Dodd Middle School. “We even had parents say they want to go to college because they were so inspired.”

SUNY at Old Westbury opens its facilities free of charge to the Freeport School District and also provides free guided tours to students and their parents.

“We have an excellent partnership with Old Westbury,” said Campbell-Ham. “The admissions department helps us a great deal to make this program a success.”

The day, sponsored by the Freeport School District, SUNY College at Old Westbury and The Harvard Club of Long Island, consisted of various panel discussions preceded by a special keynote address given by Duncan A. Quarless Jr., Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry and director of the Science and Technology Entry Program for SUNY College at Old Westbury.

A panel of Freeport High School graduates who went on to college led a discussion on “The College Experience,” which helped middle school students relate to the idea of attending college. Other topics of discussion that followed were:

• “The College Admissions Maze: What You Need To Know,” moderated by Campbell-Ham
•  “Financial Aid and the Admissions Process,” led by Mary Marquez Bell, vice president of Enrollment Services
•  SUNY College at Old Westbury, “The Role of the [Guidance] Counselor,” led by Rosemary Garcia, guidance counselor, Freeport High School
•  “Athletic Scholarships,” presented by Lauren Ashman, assistant director of compliance for NCAA regulations, Hofstra University
•  “The Highly Selective Colleges,” presented by Carolyn Hughes of The Harvard Club of Long Island

 The day ended with a panel of Freeport High School seniors discussing the topic “Maximizing Your High School Years.”

According to Campbell-Ham, since the program’s inception there has been encouraging improvement in the high school graduation rate. It has also become a shining example of college-educated Freeport High School graduates paving the way to success for future Freeport graduates.

“[Through this program] we hope to continue to positively influence young people and ignite their interest in pursuing higher education,” she said. “We also hope to establish new partnerships with other SUNY schools on Long Island.”

Freeport Public Schools is a diverse, innovative district on Long Island’s South Shore serving about 6,750 students in grades Pre-K through 12. The district and its eight schools take pride in having the region’s only magnet schools of choice, a longstanding and award-winning classroom English/Spanish Dual Language Program, and a high school where students excel in competitions that include the regional Academic Challenge, Odyssey of the Mind and Future Problem Solving International. The district’s New Visions School of Exploration and Discovery has been named a No Child left Behind Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education for its high student performance and engaging curriculum.