AUBURN - Kindergartners marched across a stage wearing college T-shirts and singing the pep rally songs of 20 different colleges.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Susan Terry's kindergarten class comes on stage in their St. Bonaventure University shirts to do a school cheer for the parents in the audience during Genesee Elementary's No Excuses University program on Thursday afternoon.
Susan Terry's kindergarten class comes on stage in their St. Bonaventure University shirts to do a school cheer for the parents in the audience during Genesee Elementary's No Excuses University program on Thursday afternoon.
No Excuses University at Genesee, a new educational program being implemented at Genesee Elementary School, kicked off Thursday with a school-wide celebration.
The program's purpose is to prepare children for college - as early as in their formative years. It spans the country, and more than 60 colleges and universities have “adopted” schools. At Genesee, students from kindergarten to sixth grade will have exposure to 20 colleges and universities that have adopted the school, said Ronald Gorney, principal. Genesee Elementary is the first school in New York state to join the nationwide program.
“We want the students to understand that learning doesn't stop after high school,” said Gorney. “Training doesn't stop after high school.”
Among the schools that have adopted Genesee Elementary are Ithaca College, LeMoyne College, Wells College and Cayuga Community College. Each classroom at Genesee is associated with a different college or university. As students graduate to higher grades, they come into contact with a different college or university each year, said Gorney.
Teachers are a large part of the program. They try to create an environment in which students begin to be familiar with the idea of college as a natural next step after high school.
“We talk about terminology used in college, like 'dormitories,' 'professors' and 'degrees,'” said third-grade teacher Jennifer Ridley. Her students are partnering with Indiana State University.
“We talk about what we think it would be like in college,” she said. “We talk about what the kids there do.”
Gorney addressed parents, Genesee Elementary alums and other guests at the kickoff event. He encouraged parents, teachers and students to sign a three-way pledge to all do their parts to ensure that the students go on to college or some form of career training.
“There's no excuses here,” said Gorney, echoing the program's name. “It doesn't matter what socioeconomic group you belong to.”
Genesee Elementary does not have to pay for the No Excuses University program, which was founded in 2004 by Damen Lopez, then a principal at Los Penasquitos school in San Diego, according to the No Excuses University Web site.
All the program asks of schools is that they show “evidence that the activities are going on,” said Gorney.
Genesee Elementary needs to reapply for the program each year and, during that process, prove that it is taking the program seriously.
Staff writer Kelly Voll can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or kelly.voll@lee.net.
The program's purpose is to prepare children for college - as early as in their formative years. It spans the country, and more than 60 colleges and universities have “adopted” schools. At Genesee, students from kindergarten to sixth grade will have exposure to 20 colleges and universities that have adopted the school, said Ronald Gorney, principal. Genesee Elementary is the first school in New York state to join the nationwide program.
“We want the students to understand that learning doesn't stop after high school,” said Gorney. “Training doesn't stop after high school.”
Among the schools that have adopted Genesee Elementary are Ithaca College, LeMoyne College, Wells College and Cayuga Community College. Each classroom at Genesee is associated with a different college or university. As students graduate to higher grades, they come into contact with a different college or university each year, said Gorney.
Teachers are a large part of the program. They try to create an environment in which students begin to be familiar with the idea of college as a natural next step after high school.
“We talk about terminology used in college, like 'dormitories,' 'professors' and 'degrees,'” said third-grade teacher Jennifer Ridley. Her students are partnering with Indiana State University.
“We talk about what we think it would be like in college,” she said. “We talk about what the kids there do.”
Gorney addressed parents, Genesee Elementary alums and other guests at the kickoff event. He encouraged parents, teachers and students to sign a three-way pledge to all do their parts to ensure that the students go on to college or some form of career training.
“There's no excuses here,” said Gorney, echoing the program's name. “It doesn't matter what socioeconomic group you belong to.”
Genesee Elementary does not have to pay for the No Excuses University program, which was founded in 2004 by Damen Lopez, then a principal at Los Penasquitos school in San Diego, according to the No Excuses University Web site.
All the program asks of schools is that they show “evidence that the activities are going on,” said Gorney.
Genesee Elementary needs to reapply for the program each year and, during that process, prove that it is taking the program seriously.
Staff writer Kelly Voll can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or kelly.voll@lee.net.
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