As TTU’s Golden Eagle football team practiced, children from an after school program run by Tech alumnus KentJohnson looked on eagerly, decked out it their best purple & gold.
As many as 120 students from grades one through twelve participate in the afterschool program each year.
Students who work hard at their academics in Johnson’s program are admitted into the Golden Eagle Honor Club, and each year they visit TTU’s Cookeville campus.
The goal of Johnson’s partnership with the TTU Golden Eagles is to make the university campus accessible to high school graduates who may be the first of their family to consider college.
“With a lot of first generation college students, when they get on a campus, they feel lost, but for these kids, they’re going to feel like they’re coming home.” said Johnson.
On Tuesday, the group was granted access to TTU’s football team, cheerleaders, & stadium.
In past years the group has attended softball games, toured Derry Berry, and built relationships with students, staff, & faculty on campus.
After twelve years in the program, graduating seniors will have visited the Tech campus twelve times.
The hope is, familiarity with the campus will minimize any apprehension the students might feel about the unknown realms of a university campus.
Future visits to basketball games & other events are in the works.
Johnson is sure that some day he will be making the two hour drive from Knoxville to see his kids walk across the stage at TTU graduation.
The program is not all fun & games.
Using the comradery & fun that comes from being a part of the larger TTU family is being used as a positive reinforcement, aiming to encourage kids to not only play hard, but to work hard academically as well.
The program challenges its students to excel academically by stressing that to enjoy the benefits of TTU’s sports programs, cultural events, & shared since of pride, you have to make the grade academically.
It doesn’t matter where you come from, what is in your past, or what obstacles you have had to overcome, if you’re willing to put in the effort, you will be welcomed with open arms by the world of academia.
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