Program News 2006
No Place Like College
In early June, over twenty young people from across Good Shepherd's program spectrum spent several days on the SUNY New Paltz campus, working on their college application essays, learning about the financial aid possibilities, touring the campus, and receiving individualized assistance in the application process.
The retreat is centered around working on the application essays. The participants work in small groups to complete the essays with a writing coach, youth professional and alumnus of the retreat. The alumni also provide a panel discussion for the youth, answering questions about college and describing their own post high-school journeys. Pat Smith, program coordinator of our Lifelink College Access and Retention program in the Bronx said that meeting the alumni really made an impact on the participating young people. "It means a lot to see people from similar backgrounds that are in college, or working college graduates, or in post-graduate education. It really makes feel them feel that this is how their life could be."
New Paltz staff and students were also on hand to provide information about financial aid and conduct campus tours. The long weekend culminates in a banquet where excerpts from the essays are read to the larger group. Several participants said afterwards that the banquet readings were the highlight of the trip for them. They found it incredibly moving to hear their words read out loud, a reaction that was "an incredible affirmation of all the work of the retreat," according to Brooklyn community-based programs Division Director Bonnie Genevich, who coordinated the weekend along with Smith.
While the college retreat is a Good Shepherd tradition of many years standing, this year was particularly special because it was the first year young people from our newly acquired Bronx community-based programs participated. "They all want to go back as alumni," said Smith, "and younger students from their schools have been asking about signing up for next year's retreat, because they heard such wonderful things from the youth who went this year."
June 28, 2006
