Henderson, Nev. Thanks to a continuing gift from Mr. Randy García, CEO of The Investment Counsel of Nevada, the Clark County School District’s Crossroads partnership with Nevada State College is helping high risk middle school students develop the skills necessary for academic success.
Implemented in early 2008, the Crossroads program specifically focuses on helping high risk seventh and eighth grade students in the Southeast Region of the Clark County School District understand and appreciate the importance of their education.
Middle school can be a critical turning point in a student’s life. I believe we can have a significant impact before high school, said Dr. Rene Cantu, vice president of Multicultural Affairs at Nevada State College and the inspiration for the program.
Under the direction of Cantu, and with the support of Clark County School District Southeast Region Superintendent Dr. Andre Denson, NSC’s faculty and students work with CCSD counselors to teach non-academic and personal development skills such as time and stress management, motivation, resiliency, self-esteem, and decision-making to the participating at-risk seventh and eighth grade students.
In February, the students were given a 108-question entrance assessment called Revving Up. When the program concluded in May, the students completed a comprehensive assessment entitled Moving On. The resultant data indicated a significant improvement in the students resiliency ratings, with 45 percent being more self-confident, 55 percent being more motivated, and 57 percent having an increased perception of the importance of education.
We are excited to see the transformation of these students, especially because we were able to look at their final grade and see that the majority of them re-engaged in the educational system before going on to high school, said Patrice Johnson, Assistant Southeast Region Superintendent.
Overall, the assessment demonstrated that Crossroads helped the students engage more in classroom and extracurricular activities. Moreover, students with dramatically increased self-confidence showed a corresponding increased willingness to ask questions in class and participate in group discussions, thus enabling them to become more goal-oriented as they move on to high school.
Nevada State College is a comprehensive four-year public college offering degrees including nursing, business administration and education. The college opened its doors to students in September 2002 after the Board of Regents and the Nevada State Legislature determined the need for enhanced educational opportunities in Southern Nevada in 1997. The college currently enrolls more than 2,200 students
NSC’s main campus is located on more than 500 acres in the foothills of Henderson and provides progressive bachelor’s programs in several in-demand fields of study. Nevada State College offers a low student-to-professor ration and competitive tuition rates.
For more information on Nevada State College, call : 702.990.2000 or visit : nsc.edu.
Nevada State College, Clark County School District announce Crossroads Mentoring Program results
