LA GRANGE — Today, an event which could assist students and parents in preparing for college will take place at North Lenoir High School.
Gear Up will have its Family College and Career Night from 6:30-8 p.m. in the media center of the school.
Holly Ball, Lenoir County secondary curriculum coordinator, said the event will be very helpful for those in attendance.
“It’s going to give students insight as far as preparation for their future, looking at colleges, seeing what they have to offer and preparing them so they’re not going to be blinded by anything unexpected,” Ball said.
The Young Professionals of Lenoir County and Junior Leadership Lenoir students will speak to seventh, eighth and 12th-graders at the event, giving the students advice on future college endeavors.
Hilary Lucas, Gear Up family and community facilitator, said the two organizations will focus on separate focal points in talking to the students.
“Young Professionals will talk about their college and career explorations,” Lucas said. “Some of them were born and raised in Kinston, so they’ll also answer questions as to why they came back home.
“The Junior Leadership group is made of current 11th graders, who will talk about the extracurricular activities they’re taking to help prepare for their senior years, colleges they have been accepted to and other things they’re getting ready for.”
Lucas has given an itinerary of the event to five schools — E.B. Frink, Contentnea-Savannah, North Lenoir, Lenoir County Learning Academy and Lenoir County Early College — but said all students and families in the grade levels may attend.
“I only work with a few schools, so others may not have had as much information about the event,” Lucas said. “Still, any kid will be able to attend.”
Gear Up, which started last November, has been a good program according to Lucas.
“The way I see it, we’re starting to get students prepped at an early age for college,” Lucas said. “We’re helping them find ways to save money and what to prepare for. We do the same for parents, giving them resources and methods to get a head start. The main goal is to make sure money isn’t a factor when it comes to making a decision on going to college.”
Although the seniors are a few months away from graduating, Lucas said they can still benefit from the event.
“We’re assisting 12th graders with any final help they may need,” Lucas said. “There are still things to do financially such as apply for colleges and financial aid. We’re also here to help parents with concerns and do whatever we can as counselors to provide additional resources.”
Refreshments will be served at the event, with gift cards and coupon books being handed out.
Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.
Want to go?
Where: North Lenoir High School Media Center, 2400 Institute Rd., La Grange
When: Today, 6:30-8 p.m.
Who can come: Any seventh, eighth or twelfth-grader and family members of students in those grades
For additional information about Gear Up, go to facebook.com/lcpsgearup