40 students complete Rutgers–Camden’s Aim High Academy

July 29, 2011

Forty high school seniors from Camden City graduated Rutgers–Camden’s Aim High Academy on Friday July 29th.  Aim High is a free, three-week college readiness program that allows students to live on campus at Rutgers and learn what it takes to attend and succeed in college. 

The three-week program was funded through a grant from the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and featured daily college-level writing and math/science courses, two hours of SAT preparation and a “College 101” seminar plus study time.

At the program’s closing ceremony on July 29th, more than 150 parents and family members crowded the multipurpose room in Rutgers’ Campus Center to celebrate the success of their students.

Two students, Amaris Cruz (Camden Academy Charter School) and Joseph Castaner (Camden Catholic High School), were selected from the students to speak at the ceremony. They both thanked their parents for encouraging them to attend the program and recalled several fun and memorable experiences they shared with their peers during the three weeks.

Students were presented with their certificates by Rutgers–Camden Chancellor Wendell Pritchett and CSUCL Director Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, who both spoke at the event end encouraged students and parents to continue the momentum they began through Aim High.  The Chancellor said he knows that students worked hard and learned a lot, he thinks they had a good time and made a lot of new friends, but said that through the program he hopes “students and parents realize that you can do this—you can go to college and be successful.” 

During the three weeks living at Rutgers, students not only took classes and got the academic readiness to attend college, they participated in exciting field trips and team activities.  Aim High took students on four college visits to schools in Central Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and New York City.  Colleges visited on the trips included Georgetown, Princeton, Columbia, Howard, UPenn and more. On one Saturday, students attended Team Odyssey activities at Fairmont Park in Philadelphia to build teamwork and also unwind after a demanding week.

The Aim High staff will continue to track the progress of students during their senior year and also work as a resource center for students who need extra help with the college application process or other college readiness advising.