GREENEVILLE – As they prepare to enter high school, some local students received valuable guidance about what to expect and ways to succeed through a program at Tusculum University.
Two students work on an activity.
Students participate in one of the activities.
Educational Talent Search, which serves students in middle school and high school whose parents or guardians do not have a bachelor’s degree or who are income-eligible, recently held “Next Step: High School Experience” on campus. Students learned about navigating the transition to high school, making good choices in life, following meal etiquette and utilizing everyday life skills.
“We want our students to have an educational, fun and safe experience in high school,” said Heather Tunnell, Talent Search’s project director. “Going to high school is a major change for students, so this event was designed to give them practical information and tips they can use not only in the classroom but in all aspects of their lives.”
Talent Search is funded through a federal grant as part of TRIO Programs. It offers a variety of activities designed to help students recognize how education can transform their lives. They also grow through cultural events that might not be available to them without Talent Search. The ultimate goal of Talent Search is to encourage students to attend college.
Clay Wilkerson speaks with the students.
Judge Kenneth Bailey Jr. shares wisdom with the students.
Tusculum has two Talent Search programs, with the first starting in 1976 and the second beginning in 2002. Students who participated in the high school preparation event on campus came from Carter, Cocke, Greene and Unicoi counties.
To help the students be ready for high school, Talent Search hosted experts to share insights. They included Clay Wilkerson, a career and college advisor at Chuckey-Doak High School, and Kenneth Bailey Jr., Juvenile Court and General Sessions Court judge in Greene County.
Among the takeaways for the students from Wilkerson’s presentation were pathways to success in high school that would better position them for college admittance. He gave them advice about choosing a college that appeals to them and encouraged them to visit as many colleges as possible while they are completing their high school studies. He also highlighted AP classes and dual enrollment possibilities and how each impacts grade point averages.
At the request of students, he also provided some study tips to increase their likelihood of academic accomplishment. Students also asked him about some specific careers and future earning potential. He urged them to start off on the right foot and pick a career that will interest them.
Bailey honed in on ways students could make bad choices that could land them in trouble in high school. Among the subjects he addressed was vaping. The purpose of his talk was to be proactive and tell students how they can avoid trouble, which could land them in the court system. He shared about the importance of a student finding a niche in high school and a group that aligns with that interest. His information matches what Talent Search staff members share with students.
Students enjoy the soup during the meal.
Dean Zoch provides dinning etiquette lessons.
Between those two presentations, students enjoyed a nice lunch in Chalmers Conference Center. Dean Zoch, general manager of dining services at Tusculum, gave the students a series of etiquette lessons to apply when they are eating with others. Included in the pointers was the proper way to eat pasta, bring food from the plate to the mouth and excuse oneself from the table. Like many people, these students might not have understood some of the proper methods for eating in public.
Talent Search staff concluded the day with a presentation about life skills, discussing subjects such as personal hygiene, professional dress and effective communication. The information came from a book about life skills for teenagers.
“It’s important to impress upon these students that their appearance and first impressions matter,” Tunnell said. “Cleanliness, dressing appropriately and taking pride in their appearance will have an impact on their interactions with others.”
These soon-to-be high school students gathered in the Dr. Nancy B. Moody Lecture Hall to learn more about their upcoming academic experience.
Some students meet with Sandi Bible, , left, one of the Talent Search high school academic advisors.
Students also met their new Talent Search academic advisor to assist them through high school.
“We love helping the students we serve advance academically and socially on their way to leading meaningful lives as adults,” said Dr. David Smith, director of TRIO programs at Tusculum. “TRIO works because of the commitment by the students and our staff to use this program as a way to transform lives. We are grateful for all of the speakers who gave our students a lot to contemplate as they enter high school and begin thinking about college and their careers.”
To learn more about Talent Search, please visit https://site.tusculum.edu/student-success/academic-affairs/first-gen/talent-search/. People can access more information about TRIO at https://site.tusculum.edu/student-success/academic-affairs/first-gen/. Additional information about Tusculum is available at www.tusculum.edu.