As mentioned previously, this program is somewhat unique in that its main goal is to prep low-income students for college and then give them scholarships covering the cost of tuition. Not many programs are as comprehensive as the Valley Scholars program. The only other similar programs are from other universities in the United States, however, even their programs differ. According to Shaun Mooney, the Director of the Valley Scholars program, when starting this program at James Madison University, he and other staff members visited Rutgers University to learn about their program—what works, who the target population is, and if it would be feasible to replicate and fit with students in the Harrisonburg area. Two large differences between the
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Another use of best practices is in the mentoring program. One best practice is the use of a very structured mentoring program (Burns et al., 2004, Jung et al., 2011, Rhodes et al., 2000). When the mentors have proper training, support, and structure to their time with the students, mentoring can make a large impact on the lives of the students. In the Valley Scholars program, mentors take a class for credit at James Madison University. This has a twofold effect: First, the mentors are accountable to the course and are in it for credit. Therefore, they will be less likely to drop out of the mentoring program if the situation is tough, or for any other reason. Second, the professor is actively training them and giving them feedback throughout the course of the semester. Also, when the mentors work with their mentees in the VS program, the primary goal is academic support. Most meetings between mentors and students happen right after school, therefore homework and studying are the primary functions of the …show more content…
This will be in three more years, when students will range from 8th grade to 12th grade. Currently there are 70 students enrolled in the program, but that number will increase to 175 in the next three years. This doesn’t include the possibility of expanding to other local schools in the near future as well.
In order for a new cohort, or 8th grade class, to be added to the program each year, recruitment begins in early March. Members of the staff, including the director, program coordinator, and graduate assistants travel to each middle school to present the goals and functions of the program to the audience of students, parents, and school staff. In some cases the individual schools pre-select students whom they believe fit the profile of a Valley Scholars student. After the presentation, information and an application is given to the students. The students and their families have around two weeks before the applications are due. Then, as a staff, applications are reviewed and interviews are scheduled. Once completed, the staff then chooses five students from each of the schools to represent their school as a Valley Scholar in the coming
Another use of best practices is in the mentoring program. One best practice is the use of a very structured mentoring program (Burns et al., 2004, Jung et al., 2011, Rhodes et al., 2000). When the mentors have proper training, support, and structure to their time with the students, mentoring can make a large impact on the lives of the students. In the Valley Scholars program, mentors take a class for credit at James Madison University. This has a twofold effect: First, the mentors are accountable to the course and are in it for credit. Therefore, they will be less likely to drop out of the mentoring program if the situation is tough, or for any other reason. Second, the professor is actively training them and giving them feedback throughout the course of the semester. Also, when the mentors work with their mentees in the VS program, the primary goal is academic support. Most meetings between mentors and students happen right after school, therefore homework and studying are the primary functions of the …show more content…
This will be in three more years, when students will range from 8th grade to 12th grade. Currently there are 70 students enrolled in the program, but that number will increase to 175 in the next three years. This doesn’t include the possibility of expanding to other local schools in the near future as well.
In order for a new cohort, or 8th grade class, to be added to the program each year, recruitment begins in early March. Members of the staff, including the director, program coordinator, and graduate assistants travel to each middle school to present the goals and functions of the program to the audience of students, parents, and school staff. In some cases the individual schools pre-select students whom they believe fit the profile of a Valley Scholars student. After the presentation, information and an application is given to the students. The students and their families have around two weeks before the applications are due. Then, as a staff, applications are reviewed and interviews are scheduled. Once completed, the staff then chooses five students from each of the schools to represent their school as a Valley Scholar in the coming