01-18-95 Honors Students Adopt Indianola Middle School

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM STUDENTS ADOPT A SCHOOL

     COLUMBUS -- When she was a student at Indianola Middle
School in Columbus a few years ago, Isha Trammell remembers her
teachers saying that each student had the potential to go to
college.  Now a first year student at The Ohio State University,
Trammell wants to help Indianola Middle School students see that,
like her, they can succeed in school.   

     Trammell is one of approximately 70 Ohio State honors
students involved in the University Honors Program Adopt-a-School
project, adopting the students at Indianola Middle School.

     The partnership was celebrated with a kick-off assembly
ceremony at Indianola on Tuesday (1/17).  Joining the Ohio State
volunteers and Indianola students in the ceremony were E. Gordon
Gee, president of Ohio State; Larry Mixon, superintendent of
Columbus Public Schools; Janet Voinovich, first lady of Ohio; and
Sharon Prentice, principal of Indianola Middle School.

     "Building a relationship with Ohio State University is like
a dream," said Prentice.  "Our students will be enriched by Ohio
State students, and they will be very much enriched by ours."

     Indianola is located just a few blocks east of the Ohio
State campus at 19th Avenue and North Fourth Street.  Honors
students have been planning the adoption -- including scheduling,
logistics and volunteer training -- since early autumn.  Through
the program, they hope to provide a community service by giving
the younger students positive learning experiences.

     "We're very enthusiastic about adopting the school," said
David Hothersall, director of the Honors Program.  "There is a
strong desire among honors students to serve the community."

     The honors students will serve as mentors and be "a good
influence for the middle school students," Hothersall said.
"They can help academically with tutoring in math, music or
science.  But we also believe it'll be beneficial to our
students.  They'll be in a school that is a different setting
from many of their own middle schools, with students who are
different from themselves.  It will broaden their experience and
feeling for the community."

     Honors students each will work at least one hour per week at
the school, sharing their talents and interests with the younger
students.  There will also be benefits beyond the classroom, as
relationships are built between the younger and older students.

     "Our students need someone they can depend on, someone they
can trust," said Prentice.  "Building big brother-big sister
kinds of relationships is a big piece of this."

     The volunteer effort will bring Trammell back to Indianola
Middle School for the first time since she graduated.  She hopes
the program helps the students, and helps dispel negative
stereotypes about low-income students.

     "I hope through Adopt-a-School, that we can bring out the
good in students.  It's nice for them to see that people in the
community care and spend time with them."

     The University Honors Program school adoption is being
coordinated by Cities in Schools, a non-profit agency that works
with Columbus Public Schools to put community resources directly
in the schools so students can obtain social services in an
academic setting.

     The adoption is one of two Ohio State efforts at Indianola.
Students in the Taylor Tower Honors Residence Hall are volunteers
with the Indianola After School program, a YWCA sponsored latch-
key program.

                                #

Contact: David Strauss, University Honors Program, (614) 292-3135


[Submitted by: REIDV  (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Wed, 18 Jan 1995 11:12:07 -0500 (EST)]
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