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	Vol.7, No 46, November 17, 1999
	College Week begins By Elyse Medlin Daily Forty-Niner National College Week kicked off Monday morning with Cal State Long Beach's president and his scholars visiting a local middle school. "The whole idea is to pick up youngsters early and get them prepared for college," said President Robert Maxson, who visited Marshall Middle School with several CSULB President's Scholars. "We will work with them all the way through high school to get them prepared." Marshall is one of three Long Beach schools benefiting from a $3.3 million federal grant called GEAR UP, or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The other two schools involved are Hamiliton Middle School and Jefferson Leadership Academies. Under the grant, this year's sixth-graders will participate in mentoring programs and a specialized curriculum during the next five years in preparation for college, said Chris Eftychiou, a middle school coordinator.  "We encourage kids to have high expectations, study hard, take the right courses and stay in school," GEAR UP coordinator Dorothy Thomas said. "Start ing in sixth grade is never too soon." Marshall students received a first-hand look at college life through presentations from CSULB President's Scholar recipients. "There's really no excuse not to go to college," CSULB junior Jessica Harris told the sixth-graders. "Take responsibility for your own actions and get the help you need." Following the assembly, several sixth-graders expressed their desire to attend college. "We need to go to college, so we don't end up sweeping floors, like our English teacher tells us," said Oscar Abundez, a sixth-grader at Marshall. Christina Gray, also a sixth-grader, said she aspires to be a pediatrician because she loves children. "We need to prepare for college now, so it'll be easier and we'll get done quicker," Gray said. Marshall sixth-grader Ashley Reed is involved with a program similar to GEAR UP, but she said she still needs to learn skills necessary for college. "We learn how to take notes and study," Reed said. Marshall student Cody Barnes, who hopes to be a science teacher, agreed with his fellow classmates.  "College is more important than people think," Barnes said. "The more education you get, the more money you make."		Koi head for new homes   Student cheers restaurant job   College Week begins   CSULB conference helps American-Indian students   Professor to read award-winning work Free ride for famous   ATM service fees OK for banks   LETTER TO THE EDITOR Author shares experiences of racism Ice Dogs sweep Wolves   Club hockey faces familiar opponents Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.