UF Expands Efforts To Help At-Risk High School Students

February 13, 2002

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida’s Alliance program, designed to give at-risk high school students a better chance of attending college and obtaining a baccalaureate degree, is expanding to two new schools in Orlando.

UF Provost David Colburn initiated the program in 2000 to assist Raines and Ribault high schools in Jacksonville and Miami Senior High School in Miami in addressing the needs of their students and faculty. As a result of the program’s success, the university is expanding it to two new schools for 2002/2003 – Evans and Jones high schools in Orlando.

In addition to the Alliance program, the University of Florida will begin a new partnership with all high schools in Florida to assist Gov. Jeb Bush’s efforts to strengthen public education in the state of Florida. The new program, effective this year, guarantees admission to the top 5 percent of the graduating seniors in all public high schools in the state. These students will be expected to complete the application process and must have completed the necessary core courses satisfactorily. In most cases, these graduating seniors will have done so and will therefore, be guaranteed admissions to the University of Florida.

“I applaud the University of Florida’s efforts to reach out to Florida schools serving disadvantaged students,” Bush said. “The new partnerships and admissions guarantee will provide stellar opportunities for students to realize their higher education aspirations. Best of all, achievement will be recognized and outreach will be the means for putting underserved students on the path to a high-quality college education. This is a tremendous complement to many of the One Florida reforms the state has put in place.”

Marilyn Basallo, a 19-year-old freshman from Miami, is in her second semester at the University of Florida. Basallo, who is majoring in accounting, says she never would have been able to attend the University of Florida without a full scholarship through the Opportunity Alliance program.

“I was planning on going to Florida International University because I could have lived at home, wouldn’t have had to pay rent or anything and tuition there was cheaper,” she said. “But when I first heard I was going to receive the (Alliance) scholarship, I was honored. To think that they chose me out of my whole high school class – more than 500 people. It is giving me an opportunity to get a better education.”

UF’s Office of the Provost funds the project, and the Office of Admissions has pledged five, four-year $12,500 scholarships to top students at each high school. Basallo’s scholarship is just one benefit of UF’s Alliance program. Since the Alliance program began, Raines High School received 14, 1-year-old computers from UF to upgrade technology in the classrooms. In addition, several of the high school teachers have received specialized training at UF in teaching the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT, using technology in the classroom, and enhancing reading comprehension strategies to aid students.

Evans and Jones high schools will be eligible for the same number of scholarships and teacher programs as the other partner schools.

Mickie Miller, the program’s director in UF’s College of Education, said one of the most popular activities of the program is a UF-hosted visit that allows honor roll students stay in UF housing, sit in on UF classes and tour the colleges and department that interest them.

“Last year, there were 110 on the honor roll at Miami Senior. This year, there are 175. Many of them say that they worked harder so they can go on the UF trip,” Miller said.

Miami Senior High administrators said they’ve seen great improvement too. “Definitely. UF has provided a lot of professional development for our teachers,” said Miami Senior High Assistant Principal Judy Marty. “And they give five scholarships to our top five students. All five took the scholarship and are enrolled at UF right now.”

“The Alliance program is the best thing that ever happened here,” Marty added. “And that is hard for me to say because I am a (University of Miami) Hurricane grad.”

Basallo agreed with Marty – UF and its Alliance program have made a huge difference in her life.

“I really wanted to go forward and pursue a college degree when I graduated from high school,” she said. “With the scholarship, they put everything in the palm of my hand.”