Second Annual CollegeFirst Summer Enrichment Program

During three weeks in June 2011, A+ College Ready is partnering with the non-profit organization Impact Alabama on the CollegeFirst Summer Enrichment program, a means by which rising AP students in Biology, Calculus, and Chemistry  gain early exposure to  college-level  AP coursework through lectures from skilled AP teachers and lab exercises with undergraduate-level mentors.
This summer’s program, beginning June 6th and concluding June 23rd, marks CollegeFirst’s second year.  In our preliminary program during June 2010, the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Alabama-Huntsville (UAH) hosted parallel CollegeFirst programs.  This year, in an expansion of the opportunity, CollegeFirst is not only returning to UAB and UAH but is also beginning a partnership with The University of Alabama (UA), hosting a new program in Tuscaloosa. Students attend session from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays for three weeks.
CollegeFirst aims to connect high school students and teachers with the coursework and resources available at universities. At the three aforementioned sites, students gain more than just early experience with undergraduate-level science and math material—participants engage in a more hands-on approach. Experienced AP teachers from A+ College Ready’s program schools teach the students during the CollegeFirst program, and undergraduate-level mentors enhance the AP teachers’ lectures by leading lab activities, exercises, and games with the new material.
This year’s program includes students from 29 high schools in 6 school districts and undergraduate mentors from the University of Alabama, UAB, Birmingham Southern College, and UAH.
On Thursday, June 23rd, the final day of CollegeFirst, we will be hosting a celebration at each site to recognize the dedication and success of students, mentors, and teachers involved in the program.