First step to college dream

Cynthia Martinez sat in a darkened auditorium Wednesday morning at Elgin Community College, clutching a folder close to her hooded sweat shirt.

A Streamwood High School freshman, Martinez chatted with friends about her hopes to attend college one day and eventually run her own business.

"Sometimes now, though, struggling with school and family problems make going to college seem tough," she said. "But I figure, if I get started on my future now, I have a better chance to succeed in a few years."

Martinez was one of 120 high school freshmen who attended ECC's Plan, Learn and Negotiate Success session.

The students, coming from 12 high schools in the four school districts that feed into the community college, were selected as being college bound but needing some support and encouragement.

"Each school set their own criteria for selecting those students who have potential to make it to college," said Stephanie Bonvallet, ECC's scholarship and recruitment coordinator.

Those criteria include high absentee rates, financial difficulties, failing grades and status as an English language learner, Bonvallet said.

Students attended two seminars on college readiness Wednesday and heard presentations by Chicago motivational speaker Michael Rodriguez and current ECC students.

"One of the most likely things to get you into college is visiting a college," Rodriguez told the group. "You've taken that step. Now, you must take this knowledge back to your community."

Saturday, students will return to ECC with their parents in tow. "Parents will hear about similar issues the students heard on Wednesday as well as financial planning and career evaluation," Bonvallet said.

The program will culminate with a ceremony on Saturday afternoon, Bonvallet said. "Students will receive a certificate of completion of the 'first step' in the college process."

The PLAN program is sponsored by the recently formed Alliance for College Readiness, a group of Elgin-area educators tasked with redefining what being "college ready" means.

Founded a year and a half ago, this is the first Alliance program that involved area students, Bonvallet said.

The Alliance plans to invite the 120 students back to participate in a number of events as they progress through high school.

"We're going to try to plant that seed and continue to pour water over it for the next four years," Bonvallet said.