ABAC STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN

NATIONAL COLLEGE WEEK

Abraham Baldwin College's GEAR UP (Gain Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) recently celebrated National College Week with the eighth graders of Irwin County Middle School. Three of ABAC Coach Robert Moore's basketball players, Deon Sturdivant, a secondary education major from Bogart; B.J. Wright, a computer science major from Fort Valley, and Torres Fitzgerald Barr, a secondary education major from Columbus, spoke to the students about the importance of a college education.

Kimberly Keen, ABAC's GEAR UP Program Specialist, said the basketball players emphasized the importance of staying in school and making college a priority.

"They discussed some of the benefits of a college education and student life activities," Keen said. "They also pointed out the differences of secondary school and college. In addition, the ABAC students allowed a question and answer period at the end of the presentation."

Wright said talking to the students at the middle school was a fun experience.

"Some of the kids asked about how much college cost and whether it was hard," Wright said. "I tried to tell them as much as I could about ABAC and how I think college is a lot of fun. Hopefully, this will help convince them to stay in school and move on to college."

National College Week, which seeks to promote college opportunity, has three main purposes: (1) to help young people who hope to become the first in their family to attend college; (2) to let young people know that college is affordable; and (3) to ensure that young people know the hard work they need to do to prepare for college does pay off in the long run.

# # #