Volume 3, Issue 1 Spring 2012 Greetings from the College Success Foundation! We would like to start with a quick thank you for getting all of your Achievers College Experience (ACE) registration materials returned. Consider this your official confirmation as a participant in the summer program at Western Washington University (WWU). Kudos for doing your part, and keep up the good work! This packet contains all of the important information that you need to know about the program, so make sure that you take time to read through all of it as soon as possible. As you near the end of your junior year you have a number of items to consider that will have a huge impact on the rest of your life no pressure! It is time for you to really start thinking about the opportunities that are available to you as a college-bound student and as a CSF Achievers Scholar. You may be thinking, Great, they say no pressure but I have no idea what they are talking about and now I have to do something about it! Fear not! You will soon have available to you all of the questions that you need to begin asking in order to ensure a smooth transition into your senior year, into your new role as a college student, and onto the stage at commencement when you complete your bachelor s degree. After that, who knows what you ll accomplish! The time will go by quickly. Think back just one short year ago to your sophomore year in high school. What were you doing? What were you planning to do? What questions were you asking? It is amazing how quickly things progress! We are proud of all of your accomplishments to date and we want to help you find your own way to continue in your pursuit of higher education and your commitment to yourself, your family and your community. We want to make sure that your time on the WWU campus is well spent. We have included a list of items to bring and a sample of the agenda so that you can see all that we have planned for you. We have a lot to do in a limited amount of time and so we need to clarify some of the ground rules that are necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of you and the entire group of CSF Achievers Scholars. Sincerely, Diane Jelle Senior Program Officer, Pre-College Services Robbin Riedy Program Assistant, Pre-College Services In This Issue Greetings From the College Success Foundation......front page Expectations of CSF Achievers Scholars......... page 2 Supervision of CSF Achievers Scholars at WWU............. page 3 Transportation to and from WWU...... back page Sample Agenda.......... back page This information is very important for you and your parents/guardians to review. Knowing and understanding all of the guidelines, expectations and schedules will ensure that we are all able to accomplish our goals and enjoy our time together.
PAGE 2 Expectations We are very proud of your accomplishments and your new status as a CSF Achievers Scholar. It is important that you are aware of the expectations we have of you, they are pretty simple We expect that as a CSF Achievers Scholar you will represent yourself, your family, your school, your community and the College Success Foundation by promoting good citizenship and academic excellence in all that you do. So what does this mean? It means that you are responsible for always putting your best foot forward and making good choices (including all things academic, financial and social). While it is pretty simple it is not always easy to do, but with a little practice you will become an expert in no time. We will have additional discussions on this topic during the summer program and will continue having them as necessary during your tenure as a CSF Achievers Scholar. Once again, the purpose of these expectations and guidelines is to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. If there is a situation that you are not comfortable with, it is your responsibility to let the College Success Foundation staff and/or peer counselor know so that we can address your particular concerns and circumstances appropriately. Being proactive will be an important habit to develop as you navigate your way toward college. Our hope is that you will take this information quite seriously and stand out as a star CSF Achievers Scholar. Remember, positive, proactive behaviors are just as contagious as negative, reactive behaviors. At ACE, meeting our expectations will include: Following all program guidelines and participating fully in all of the activities that are planned. We have scheduled all of your time over the 4-day period so that at any given time we can locate any one of the Achievers in attendance, if necessary. Achievers who do not comply with the stated expectations are subject to disciplinary action. Refraining from the use or possession of illegal substances, including alcohol and/or tobacco products. Refraining from instigating and/or participating in any illegal activities. Wearing assigned name badge during all program activities. Name badges are necessary for identification purposes as well as for access to program activities, residence halls and dining facilities. Being respectful of yourself, others and property. This includes using appropriate language and/or behaviors. We request that you bring and wear clothing that is appropriate for the activities that you will be participating in (see enclosed list for examples). Responding appropriately to requests and instructions from College Success Foundation staff, college personnel and peer counselors. This may range from a discussion of the inappropriate behavior up to and including students being asked to leave the summer program at WWU. It is your parent s/ guardian s responsibility to provide transportation for you to return home if you are asked to leave. CSF Achievers Scholars who participate in activities that result in any disciplinary action will undergo a review of their program eligibility by the College Success Foundation.
PAGE 3 Supervision and Safety while attending your ACE Summer Program CSF Achievers Scholars will be accompanied by a chaperone (in most cases this will be the College Prep Advisor from your school) for the bus ride to and from Bellingham. You will be greeted at the WWU campus by College Success Foundation staff and current college students (peer counselors) from around the state who will guide you through the summer program. Each pair of counselors will have a group of 25 Achievers in their group. This will allow us to keep track of all the CSF Achievers Scholars at all times and ensure that we all have an enjoyable, productive and safe experience. Western Washington University provides safety and security offices 24 hours/day 365 days/year. In addition to WWU s security officers, the College Success Foundation will provide overnight supervision in the residence halls during sleeping hours. Finally, while you are looking forward to your college experience, some of the College Success Foundation staff will be revisiting their college days and staying in the residence halls, too. Remember, we are all in this together! We have enclosed emergency contact information for your parents/guardians in this packet. We have also provided you with a list of items that you may want to bring, as well as a list of items that you should leave at home (should you choose to bring these items we will hold them in a safe place until your departure). We hope that you find all of this information helpful as you prepare for this adventure. If you have any questions, we can be reached by phone at 425-416-2000 or 877-655-4097 (toll-free) or via email at ace@collegesuccessfoundation.org. June 26-29! This could be YOU! Meet new friends! Learn new things!
"If we do not plant knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old." - Lord Chesterfield NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO. 9556 Return Service Requested 1605 NW Sammamish Road Suite 200 Issaquah, WA 98027 Toll-Free: 877-655-4097 Fax: 425-416-2001 On the web at www.collegesuccessfoundation.org Join us online: A few final details... The College Success Foundation will provide group transportation to and from the WWU campus. We have chartered buses that are scheduled to pick you up from your high school on the morning of Tuesday, June 26 and return you to the same location on the evening of Friday, June 29. Please contact your College Prep Advisor for specific departure instructions. Sample Agenda Tuesday, June 26, 2012 Arrival and Check-in to the Residence Halls Lunch and High School Meetings with Pictures Welcome and Opening Keynote Address PlayFair The Ultimate Icebreaker! Wednesday, June 27, 2012 Meetings by High School Attend a College Lecture! College Admissions and Paying for College Workshop Personal Statement Writing Workshop BBQ and Outdoor Activities Achievers Lounge Dance Bingo! Karaoke Movie Thursday, June 28, 2012 Student Panel Mentoring Workshop Test Prep Workshop College Resource Fair Talent Show Friday, June 29, 2012 Closing Ceremony
Achievers College Experience (ACE) 2012 Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA June 26-June 29, 2012 DATE: May 16, 2012 TO: Parent(s) and/or Guardian(s) of CSF Achievers Scholars FROM: Robbin Riedy, ACE Conference Coordinator RE: ACE Information All of the important information you and your student need to know about the Achievers College Experience is contained in the packet your student just received. Please take some time to read through it carefully so that you are familiar with all of the expectations and activities we have planned for this exciting, four day event at Western Washington University in Bellingham. We have included emergency contact information below for the College Success Foundation staff who will be onsite for the duration of the program. In the event of an emergency or if your student requires special accommodations that you would like to discuss please feel free to call or email us. Please know that we will review your student s completed registration materials and that we take the safety & well being of your student very seriously. Included in this mailing is a list of suggested items that your student should pack (or not pack) for the program. Please review this sheet with them. Please contact us with any concerns or questions you may have. Until Friday, June 22, 2012 we can be reached at: 425-416-2000/1-877-655-4097 (toll free) or djelle@collegesuccessfoundation.org or rriedy@collegesuccessfoundation.org After June 24, please refer to the Emergency Contact information listed below. These contact numbers should also be used if there are transportation concerns the morning of Tuesday, June 26, 2012 or the evening of Friday, June 29, 2012. Emergency Contact Information In case you need to reach your student in the event of an emergency, please contact one of the following College Success Foundation representatives: CSF Information Center @ WWU Toll Free Number: 1-877-576-6481 Diane Jelle Senior Program Officer, Pre-College Services Cell Phone: 360-789-9913 Save this in a visible location!
Suggested Items to Bring One piece of luggage (choose wisely, you will have to carry it yourself) marked clearly with your name, address and high school. Comfortable clothes and shoes for 4 days (It may be very hot or cold and you will do lots of walking): Jeans Shorts T-shirts Jacket or sweatshirt Socks Personal toiletries: Deodorant Shampoo & soap Toothbrush & toothpaste Underwear Pajamas Shower shoes (rubber flip-flops work well) Bathrobe Comb & brush A comfortable pair of athletic or walking shoes A swim suit/trunks are required if you wish to use the pool at WWU Other personal hygiene items as needed WWU will supply you with linens (one towel- gym size, washcloth, pillow and set of sheets). If you require more than one towel/day and/or more than one pillow you should bring those along. Other helpful items: Good Energy Communication skills Fun-filled attitude Friendly disposition ALARM CLOCK Items we are requesting that you leave at home Clothing that may be considered offensive to others. You know what we mean, but we will spell it out just the same. Clothing depicting the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco products as well as clothing displaying sexually explicit and/or violent images. Illegal substances and other contraband Boom boxes TVs Pets Friends and family Bad attitude Valuable items that you bring at your own risk MP3/iPod/DVD players with headphones Cameras (video/still) Cell phones Computers Jewelry and watches Electronics You will be required to turn all electronic devices off during scheduled sessions and other formal group meeting activities.