Hug High School, through Nevada A.S.C.E.N.T., aims to send more students to college!

Hug High School, through Nevada A.S.C.E.N.T., aims to send more students to college!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009: September 30, 2009 will be a special day for many students on the Hug High School Campus! That is the day that current sophomores in high school will be partnered with community mentors through the Nevada A.S.C.E.N.T. (All Students College Educated in Nevada Today) program. A.S.C.E.N.T., the creation of UNR President, Dr. Milt Glick, and Hug High School Principal, Andrew Kelly is focused on providing students with the support they need to make it to college.

A.S.C.E.N.T. seeks to partner current 10th graders at Hug with members of the community who want to make a difference by mentoring a student from 10th grade through graduation….and helping them through the investment of time to make it to college. The challenge, as each year has come and gone is the recruitment and retention of interested community members in making this program fly!

Currently Hug High School has 139 sophomores who have a 2.75 GPA or higher. Education Options Specialist, Joseph Garton commented, “What we desperately need is one adult from our community to step up for each student who wants to chase the dream of college!” “Mentors can help the school community make the dream a reality.”

Principal Andrew Kelly, of Hug High School, expressed a great deal of thanks to the University of Nevada, Reno, “Dr. Fabienne McPhail Naples, the Associate Vice President of Student Success Services has been amazing! She and her staff have totally embraced this program, provided ongoing support for mentors, and developed a dedicated website to support mentors and students as they transition to the University of Nevada, Reno.”

Nevada A.S.C.E.N.T. website is: http://www.unr.edu/ascent/

“I truly hope that many people from our community will see this announcement and go to the UNR website to sign up,” Principal, Andrew Kelly stated, “It’s imperative that we come together as a community to help WCSD meet its’ goal of graduating ALL kids college and career ready.”

For more information about Nevada A.S.C.E.N.T. contact:
Joseph Garton at Hug High School at (775) 327-5989 or jgarton@washoe.k12.nv.us
Andrew Kelly, Campus Principal at (775) 327-5601 or akelly@washoe.k12.nv.us

ASCENT mentor program seeks more volunteers - Free training program prepares mentors to assist students toward college

The University’s ASCENT (All Students College Educated in Nevada Today) mentor program needs more volunteers for this year’s match-up. A free training seminar is offered on Tuesday, Sept. 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Great Room on the Fourth Floor of the Joe Crowley Student Union. The mentor/mentee match-up event will follow a few weeks later at Hug High School on Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 1:30 until 3 p.m.

Volunteer mentors are paired with a high school student from Hug High and commit one to three hours a month with their high school mentee, discussing college aspirations and offering guidance on college applications, financial goals, and scholarship and career opportunities. Many of the students will be the first in their families to attend a university.

Those interested are encouraged to complete an application and attend the mentor training seminar on Tuesday. Applications are found at https://forms.unr.edu/ascent; RSVP to Angi Brasil at 784-6307 or abrasil@unr.edu by Sept. 4.

The number of Hug graduates continuing on to postsecondary education nearly tripled last year due to the generous investment of time from mentors throughout the community and the University. These efforts have not gone unnoticed, and on Aug. 12, Harrah’s Foundation presented an $80,000 scholarship grant to Hug High School. Hug High ASCENT graduates may qualify for up to $20,000 in educational assistance over a four-year period.

Mentor training will be a great time for old and new mentors to interact and meet each other. A mentor panel as well as workshops on how to communicate with a mentee and how to get them college-ready will give everyone the opportunity to learn about different areas of the program.

ASCENT activities throughout the academic school year include an application and FAFSA workshop, a college shadowing day, a holiday party, a student panel, mentor/mentee meetings and an end-of-year celebration.

For more information about the ASCENT program, visit www.unr.edu/ascent or contact Ellen Houston, counselor coordinator at the Center for Student Cultural Diversity, at ehouston@unr.edu or 775-784-4936.

Recruitment efforts are still in full swing!

Dear Faculty and Staff,

The University is proud to partner with Hug High School in support of the ASCENT mentors program. “All Students College Educated in Nevada Today” is making a positive difference in students’ lives.

We’re currently seeking 100 new mentors for the program and would LOVE for you to be a part. ASCENT prepares high school students for their future in higher education, so who knows, the mentees may one day be sitting in your classroom eager and ready to learn all thanks to the preparation you offered!

Volunteer mentors are asked to commit up to three hours a month spending time with their mentee specifically discussing college aspirations and offering guidance on college applications, financial goals, scholarship and career opportunities. Many of the students will be the first in their family to attend a university. Your ability to ask the right questions, raise the important issues and point them to helpful resources is critical. Our mentor training and resource staff will provide you with all the support you need to be a great mentor.

Our ASCENT program will being this year with training on September 8th from 4pm to 6pm in the Great Room on the fourth floor of the Joe Crowley Student Union at the University of Nevada, Reno. Please RSVP to Angi Brasil at (775) 784-6307 or abrasil@unr.edu before September 7th.

The mentor/mentee match-up event will be held on September 30th. More details to follow.
If you are interested in joining over 100 faculty, staff, alumni, and community members already involved in the program please fill out a mentor application and submit it to Ellen Houston at ehouston@unr.edu or fax it to (775) 784-1402 or call (775) 682-8404 by September 7th. Thank you for considering our invitation.

Sincerely,
Fabienne McPhail Naples
Student Success Services, University of Nevada, Reno

Andy Kelly
Associate Vice President Principal, Hug High School

ASCENT mentor program receives Harrah’s scholarship grant

June marked the inaugural graduating class of the All Students College Educated in Nevada Today (ASCENT) mentor program at Hug High School. This year, with the generous investment of time from volunteer mentors throughout the community and the University of Nevada, Reno, the number of Hug graduates continuing on to postsecondary education nearly tripled.

These efforts have not gone unnoticed. On Wednesday, Aug. 12, Harrah’s Foundation presented an $80,000 scholarship grant to Hug High School. Hug High graduates may qualify for up to $20,000 in educational assistance over a four year period. The Hug High School Scholarship Committee will make all scholarship decisions based on requirements set by the Foundation.

“We are thrilled to see the efforts of our dedicated mentors and our enthusiastic students pay off,” said Fabienne McPhail Naples, associate vice president of the University’s Student Success Services. “Students are seeing what hard work and commitment in school can do.”

Harrah’s Reno and Hug High have a long, successful history. The partnership was the first of its kind in Nevada when the idea was launched as the “Adopt-A-School” program. Over the decades it served as a model for other business-education partnerships, which led to the creation of the Washoe County School District’s Partners in Education program. ASCENT began at Hug as an extended partnership with the University and Washoe County School District in 2007.

ASCENT needs more volunteer mentors for the coming school year. Mentors will commit up to three hours a month with their high school mentee, discussing college aspirations and offering guidance on college applications, financial goals, and scholarship and career opportunities. Many of the students will be the first in their families to attend a university.

Those interested are encouraged to complete an application online at https://forms.unr.edu/ascent by Aug. 28.

“Hug mentees are becoming more involved with school and community activities, with some even creating an all-girls service group called the ‘Dream Girls,’” McPhail Naples said. “The benefits of mentoring students are boundless.”

A mentor training workshop is planned on Nevada’s campus in early September and will provide volunteers with support and resources needed to be great mentors. New applicants will be matched with Hug High sophomores later in September, following the training workshop. Activities throughout the academic school year include an application and FAFSA workshop, a college shadowing day, a holiday party, a student panel, mentor/mentee meetings and an end-of-year celebration.

For more information about the ASCENT program, visit www.unr.edu/ascent or contact Ellen Houston, counselor coordinator at the Center for Student Cultural Diversity, at ehouston@unr.edu or 775-784-4936.