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50
Lynwood 8th Graders to Visit Pomona College Mentors on
Campus
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Fifty Lynwood Middle School students will visit Pomona
College in Claremont, on Thursday, March 25, to meet their
college pen pals, talk about college and middle school life,
and explore the college campus. Other events include a
scavenger hunt and painting a mural on a college wall
dedicated to student art and communication.
Inspired by Teach for America, Pomona College senior Jessica
Gale started the Pomona College Pen Pal Mentoring Program in
fall 2002 as a way for college students to learn about and
gain experience in city schools, prior to their own
graduation. She wanted the program to allow students to have
a big impact but it also needed a time commitment that would
fit into students’ busy schedules.
By several measures, the project has met those goals. In its
first year, approximately 100 sixth-graders and a like
number of college students exchanged almost 1000 letters.
This year, approximately 50 Lynwood eighth-graders and their
mentors will have exchanged approximately 300 letters. The
program shifted to follow its Lynwood connection with
teacher Amelia Matera, who was assigned to eighth-graders
this year.
The program has been educational for both sides. “Pomona
students,” explains Gale, “get a behind-the-scenes glimpse
at what is going on in the Los Angeles public education
system. When school reform measures, like the midyear
reassignment of Ms. Matera's students, disrupted our regular
letter delivery schedule, Pomona students began asking their
pen pals questions like, ‘What is going on at Lynwood Middle
School?’ Likewise, Lynwood students suddenly wanted to know
everything there is to know about college.
At Lynwood Middle School, over 40% of the students’ parents
lack a high school diploma and less than 10% have graduated
from college. The vast majority of Ms. Matera's students had
never cultivated a close relationship with someone who had
attended college, let alone considered a college education
within their reach.
A recent letter from Gale’s pen pal illuminated the
achievement gap between high and low-income students. “In my
last letter to her,” explains Gale, “I wrote about how much
I like to read. In this one, she told me that she had just
gotten her library card, and she’s reading Charlotte’s Web.
I was really excited that she’s reading more, but it hit me
that I had a library card before I could read, and I read
Charlotte’s Web in 3rd grade. I also thought it was
interesting that at a recent Pomona event where people read
bedtime story to college students, our College President
brought Charlotte’s Web.”
Last year’s sixth-grade participants were just as
responsive, notes Gale. “In the first letter on both ends,
the students filled out a survey of fun questions. One of
them was ‘If you could take a trip around the world, who
would you take and why?’ I was surprised by how many
sixth-graders said they would take their Pomona pen pal,
even though they had only exchanged one letter. Right away,
I could see that these kids were reaching out to form these
relationships, fascinated by the college experience.”
In Lynwood, teacher Matera created a special "College
Corner" in her classroom and reserved time after each letter
delivery to address such pressing questions as: "Ms. Matera,
what is a Bachelor's degree?"; "Ms. Matera, what’s a
major?"; and most importantly, "Ms. Matera, can I go to
college too?"
The Lynwood students will be on Pomona’s campus from 9:45
a.m. until 2 p.m. The schedule of the day’s events is:
10-10:30 welcome, 10:30-11:30 – photo scavenger hunt/ tour
of campus; 11:30-12:15 – lunch in Frary Dining Hall; and
12:15-1:45 - painting Walker Wall and small group time.
Pomona College, one of the nation's premier liberal arts
colleges, offers a comprehensive program in the arts,
humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Founded
in 1887, its hallmarks include small classes, close
relationships between students and faculty, and a range of
opportunities for student research.
CONTACTS:
Jessica Gale
Pomona College Senior and
Pen Pal Mentoring Program Founder
Jessica.Gale@pomona.edu
Clarence M. Thomas
Director, Community Outreach
Pomona College
(909) 607-7345
Clarence.Thomas@pomona.edu
Cynthia Peters
Associate Director, Public Affairs
Pomona College
(909) 621-8515
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