THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

The message: go beyond high school.

Recruiters from several colleges and universities visited with students at Selma High School on Thursday for the first Freshmen Academy College Fair.

Recruiters from the selected state colleges and universities included Miles College, Tuskegee University, Jacksonville State University, the University of Alabama, and Alabama A&M.

Freshmen Academy counselor Theresa King said the participating colleges were selected based on a survey of students’ interests.

“Our goal is to get them academically focused and provide as many educational opportunities as possible to them, not have a one track mindset of just going out there and getting a job,” King said.

“Whether it’s getting a trade, an associate degree, or a bachelor’s, we want to encourage them to go beyond high school and obtain degrees that will help them be more successful.”

It’s good for ninth graders to look into the schools now, said Meyori Brown, a representative from Jacksonville State University.

“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback,” Charles Woodard, a recruiter from Tuskegee University, said.

Alex Grant, also a recruiter from Tuskegee, said for them, recruiting at the fair went beyond selling them a particular school.

“They don’t even have to come to Tuskegee. I mean, we’re interested in getting them into school, where they want to go.”

Brenton Sanders, one Freshmen Academy student, said he already knows where he wants to attend college-the University of Alabama, as an engineering major.

“One thing that really touched my heart today-I had a student to look at me and say, ‘Ms. King, thank you for this,'” King said. “Other feedback was, ‘Ms. King, this is great, I’m glad, this really helps me to start thinking about what I really want to do, and helps me to get myself together early.’ It’s basically about planting a seed and building a strong foundation.”

King said the Academy will work toward bringing out-of state colleges in for the spring fair, and to have colleges come in on an individual basis to speak with students.