Ceremony to be held for TRiO program in Alice

TRiO Educational Talent Search at Coastal Bend College in Alice will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 7 at 11:30 a.m. to celebrate the federal grant renewal.

Congressman Rubén Hinojosa announced that Coastal Bend College – Alice Campus would receive $230,000 to fund the Talent Search program through 2016.

The Talent Search program identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The program provides academic, career and financial counseling to its participants and encourages them to graduate from high school and continue on to and complete their postsecondary education. The program publicizes the availability of financial aid and assists participants with the postsecondary application process. Talent Search also encourages persons who have not completed education programs at the secondary or postsecondary level to enter or reenter and complete postsecondary education. The goal of Talent Search is to increase the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high school and enroll in and complete their postsecondary education.

CBC Educational Talent Search Program in Alice serves eight area schools and 616 students. Participating students are from Benavides, Falfurrias, Freer, Orange Grove, Premont and San Diego High Schools.

Project Director for Educational Talent Search in Alice, Jose Schuenemann, said she is thrilled with the grant award because it will help so many students. “Most of our students are first generation high school graduates who have never even been to a college campus,” said Schuenemann. “In our first year we had 80 percent of our students enroll in college. Last summer, I took 43 students to visit colleges in Houston and to tour NASA. They were so excited and enthusiastic about achieving their dreams of earning a college degree.”

Coastal Bend College-Alice Campus is located at 704 Coyote Trail in Alice. For more information about the upcoming event, please call (361) 664-2981 Ext. 3081.

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