HOUSTON – Feb. 14, 2018 –The Spring ISD Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to launch the EMERGE program to prepare high-potential students from underserved communities to attend and graduate from selective colleges and universities from across the nation.
The program will kick off this spring for current juniors as the district becomes the third in the area to partner with the EMERGE Fellowship, which currently works with students in both the Houston and Spring Branch independent school districts.
“We are very excited about bringing this program to Spring,” said Superintendent Dr. Rodney E. Watson. “EMERGE has a proven track record of getting students into top universities and making sure they have the skills to be successful there.”
Since its launch in 2013, EMERGE has grown to serve hundreds of HISD and Spring Branch ISD students. In Spring, the district plans to select the first group of rising seniors to participate in EMERGE in the coming months.
The four-year partnership with EMERGE approved by the trustees on Tuesday will be funded using a combination of district and grant monies. The district’s portion of the funding for the 2018-19 school year will total $73,810.
“We believe this is an investment that will pay tremendous dividends,” said Dr. Lupita Hinojosa, chief of student support services and school leadership. “This program will strengthen our ability to support students through an application process that can often seem overwhelming and confusing.”
Specifically, students in the EMERGE program will attend college admissions workshops, get personalized assistance with applications, receive SAT/ACT preparation and visit universities during a special summer tour. They will also have an opportunity to meet with current college students from the Houston area, who can provide mentoring and advice.
In another advantage, EMERGE often opens the door to full-ride scholarships for students accepted into the nation’s most selective colleges and universities.
Trustee Justine Durant applauded the partnership as an important step in making students aware of all the possibilities and opportunities in higher education. “The impact of this moment will be realized for years,” she said.