LDI Aspirations Program Update for Fall 2005

September 11, 2005

At a recent trustee/advisory board meeting, I was asked, ?Why do we participate in College Goal Sunday? What is a FAFSA form? Why did we start the Aspirations Program?? In a short five minute conversation, I found myself throwing out facts and statistics about postsecondary options for LDI graduates, financial aid and the need to encourage students to start thinking about what opportunities are out there for them. Now working with 10 school districts, Kieve's Aspirations Program hopes to make an impact on these statistics from The Maine Compact for Higher Education Conference:

Only 37% of Maine residents age 25-64 have an Associates, Bachelors or Advanced Degree.

The children of these 37% are twice as likely to go to college because they typically have higher incomes and they will help manage their children through the college application process.

One guidance counselor at a typical high school has a caseload of 500 students.

In 2002, 88,000 Maine residents between the ages of 25-64 did NOT have a high school diploma.

Between the years 1995-2000, single young adults with BA/BS moved out of Maine at a faster rate than did New England as a whole. While nearly 5,700 college educated adults moved to Maine during those years, nearly 7,400 left the state.

Aspirations is working actively towards its mission. In early September, 12 Kieve teachers facilitated programming for 166 freshmen at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport, Maine. Working with the 12 facilitators, 40 teachers, the Camden Hills High School Principal, Superintendent, and Piet Lammert, the Guidance Department Director, students revisited lessons learned at LDI as well as looked ahead while contemplating the question: ?What do I want my high school experience to look like??

Ken Vencile, Biology Teacher and Freshman Seminar advisor said, ?You guys just did about a quarter's worth of work to help me get to know my 12 new students. As you can imagine, 10 minutes a day, everyday for four years, really isn?t that mush time to get to know my students and then be expected to advise them with their postsecondary plans.?

As a result of the excellent program, middle and high school teachers have already taken advantage of the looping model that Kieve's Aspirations Program has followed. Starting next fall, middle school groups that attend LDI residential will be put in their Seminar groups for high school. Middle school teachers from Camden-Rockport, Lincolnville, Appleton and Hope have already discussed another one-day follow-up in the spring of 2006. Finally, for the Learning Together workshop, held at Kieve during the residential program, Piet Lammert, Director of Guidance at the high school was and will continue to be the speaker to parents of 8th grade students presenting an excellent presentation called, "The 8th-9th Grade Transition". Here are a few comments from a recent Learning Together Workshop with parents: ?An excellent balance of activity, presentation, fun and information. I find being able to share experiences that my daughter has had invaluable.?, ?An excellent opportunity to network and feel comfortable with other parents.?, ?The workshop gave good insight for future thoughts of years to come rather than waiting 'till they are in high school.?

For more information about The Aspirations Program, please email Amy Lyndaker at leadershipschool@kieve.org. More information about The Maine Compact for Higher Education is available at www.collegeforme.com.