College Summit West Virginia mentioned in Huffington Post blog submission by Connie Spencer, Yale Alumni Service Corps project coordinator.

Register-Herald: Educators, students recognized for promoting college, career readiness

Year in Review video for 2012-2013

Organization prepares students for next stage
by Bridget May for the Daily Mail
High school students across West Virginia are preparing for college and making an impact in the lives of their fellow students in the process.

WV Executive Magazine: Students Find Financial Aid Assistance through College Summit

Data Quality Campaign Blog Post: Using Data to Grow a College-Going Culture at Liberty High School

WV Executive Magazine: High School Seniors Pay it Forward Through College Summit

Congratulations to Dr. Dan Foster, College Summit board member, for being recognized as West Virginian of the Year!

The Fayette Tribune: Trail seniors guide freshmen in planning

Congratulations to Emily Ernest, Peer Leader at Woodrow Wilson High School! Emily was recognized as an EQT Student of Excellence at an awards ceremony this weekend and received a $1,000 scholarship. For more about the award recipients, check out the article from the State Journal.

USA Today College Article: Peers make college a reality for low-income students

Register Herald: Local high school seniors help their peers prepare for college

Check out the College Summit two-page spread in the State Journal’s Compass publication. Articles from Writing Coach Carrie Bowe and Valley High School Peer Leader Jessica Johnston are featured on page 16 and 17. Thanks to Ann Ali and her colleagues at WOWK and the State Journal for helping get the word out about College Summit.

College Summit workshop a life-changing experience
By Jessica Johnston, Valley High School
Flip Side, Charleston Gazette

CHARLESTON, W.Va.—On July 12-15, students from high schools including Fayetteville, Independence, Liberty, Midland Trail, Oak Hill, Shady Springs, Valley, Winfield and Woodrow Wilson attended the College Summit summer workshop at Marshall University.

From news reporter to writing coach
By Jessica Johnston, Valley High School
Flip Side, Charleston Gazette

CHARLESTON, W.Va.—Former WCHS news reporter Atish Baidya grew up in San Diego. He spent six years as a news reporter—one in Zanesville, Ohio, and five in Charleston.

“So here I am. I’m committed to this organization for the rest of my life. I will always do anything they need me to do. I will support them because they are all about supporting their staff, volunteers, peer leaders, etc. It’s an organization with an amazing soul, filled with love, and it shows in everything they do.”

Liberty High School is recognized by W.Va. Department of Education
Sarah Plummer, Register-Herald Reporter

(Liberty High School is a College Summit partner school in Raleigh County.)

Out of 118 high schools across the state, Raleigh County’s Liberty is the only one to be recognized as a School of Excellence by the West Virginia Department of Education.

Schools of Excellence must offer rigorous academic programs, have low dropout rates, high graduation rates and a supportive and learning-centered school environment.

The College Summit Experience through the Eyes of Our Volunteers:
College Summit volunteers come from a variety of industries and professions: attorneys, accountants, educators, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, clergy, journalists, engineers, restaurateurs, among many others. These individuals come together to join a team of caring adults to help students succeed in education, life, and their careers. Cheryl Davis, who has been a volunteer writing coach for several years, talks about her first experience at a workshop, “I was amazed at how smoothly volunteers from various backgrounds and locations were integrated into a seamless team.”

Volunteers tell us that something happens at a workshop, something unexpected. They begin the experience with the hope that they will encourage and support students at the workshop. What they don’t expect, however, is that they are given encouragement and support from staff, fellow volunteers, and students. Volunteers share with us that they are changed in the four days, just as students are. Rich Hopkins, a volunteer with College Summit for many years shares, “You will experience the most rewarding, challenging, four days of personal growth in your lifetime.” 

We’ve asked some of our veteran volunteers to share their volunteer experiences with you. We hope that this provides you some insight into the power of the workshop and the amazing things that can be accomplished in only four days…

Leadership West Virginia Gives Back by Mentoring High School Seniors

A group of West Virginia leaders are giving back to their communities through education. The 2011 Class of Leadership West Virginia partnered with College Summit West Virginia to help students plan for college. College Summit West Virginia paired the talented and educated leaders from the Leadership West Virginia class with College Summit peer leaders - seniors who participated in a College Summit workshop last summer. The one-on-one, one-hour mentoring session took place during the Leadership West Virginia session on education at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs. The students also had the opportunity to get to know other members of the Leadership West Virginia class during a luncheon sponsored by BrickStreet Insurance.

WV Peer Leaders Recognized as EQT Students of Excellence

Three College Summit West Virginia Peer Leaders were selected as EQT Students of Excellence: Nick Alexander, Trevor Addison, and Keelee J. McCarty. A full list of the recipients can be found on the State Journal website. Watch Nick Alexander’s interview on WV Media’s Decision Makers with Bray Cary. (Segment 5)

ECA Foundation Makes $1.25 Million Commitment to College Summit

Over the last decade, thanks to the unwavering support and guidance from ECA Foundation and the Mork Family, College Summit has served over 21,000 West Virginia students and will serve an additional 8,000 during the upcoming school year. At the 2011 College Summit Awards banquet,  Julie Mork announced that the ECA Foundation had renewed its 5-year,  $1.25 million commitment to College Summit West Virginia.