Rice University hosted the 14th annual Texas Diversity Council Summer Youth Program June 10-14. This weeklong program engaged 100 students from Houston area high schools and middle schools to provide life lessons and college readiness activities.
“The summer youth program is a collaboration with Rice University and the Texas Diversity Council,” said David Medina, director of multicultural community relations in Rice’s Office of Public Affairs. “We started this program 15 years ago because we want to help students, especially underserved students, prepare for college.”
The program is designed to equip students to have a successful transition into college through graduation and into the workforce with writing, various styles of communication and public speaking opportunities tailored to fit where they are in the ninth-12th grade cycle.
“It’s been really helpful for each grade level; we all get different types of learning,” said Gelena Sandoval, rising high school sophomore and second-year attendee. “As a sophomore, we’re learning the requirements for college applications [and] still learning how to write the essays and write in proper grammar.”
“Writing is essential,” said Dennis Kennedy, founder and chairman of the Texas Diversity Council. “Very often you have to submit samples of your writing as part of the application process, so we’re really helping these students learn the essence of writing and really to learn to love to write.”
“Writing is a part of communication, which is really wonderful, but we teach them how to listen, how to ask questions, the art of public speaking … so that when they do get to college, when they do move into the workforce, they know how to present themselves well,” said co-chair Kimberly King.
The annual Texas Diversity Council Summer Youth Program also aims to remain barrier-free to area youth by including free breakfasts and lunches, free METRO passes, hiring high school teachers to mentor the classes and inviting volunteers to speak about their careers throughout the week.
“I’m really fortunate to have had this opportunity,” said Zoe Scrietti, rising high school junior and third-year attendee. “I’ve learned a lot more about the college application process and financial aid, which I think would have been a very rough journey trying to look at if I didn’t have this opportunity.
“This is an amazing and unique opportunity, and the fact that it even exists is just absolutely phenomenal,” she said.
H-E-B and Murphy Oil sponsored this year’s event.
To learn more about the program, visit riceyouthprogram.org/2024.
