This model project is designed to encourage precollege minority students (Grades 8-12) to consider careers in science and mathematics teaching at the precollege level. Activities being implemented include identifying minority students in their junior and senior years, who show interest in and promise of becoming teachers, and who show potential for attending college; encouraging the graduating seniors among them to attend summer school at Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) to make up as many deficiencies as possible-- those seniors can then enroll in the full university parallel curriculum at SVCC in the fall semester. Those juniors identified by the same criteria may make up their deficiencies during the summer and throughout the academic year at SVCC. A special counseling process will also be initiated for them, including a minority mentor/advisor from the school faculty. In addition, minority students with an interest in and potential for becoming teachers are being identified in grades 8- 10, and a guidance staff person will be assigned to each student to develop an appropriate high school course plan. During the first year of the project, the Center Director and appropriate SVCC personnel work closely with Longwood College and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to develop an articulation transfer agreement from SVCC to those institutions. Upon completion of their in-residence requirements for a teaching credential, students are placed in schools within their county of residence for student teaching. Students who successfully complete the teaching program at either Longwood College or VCU will be given priority consideration for positions available in their resident county.
