Elon Academy Celebrates Pi Cohort at President’s Reception | Today at Elon

As Sirah Brent prepared to begin her journey to Elon Academy as a senior at Eastern Alamance High School, she wasn’t sure what to expect and what obstacles she would face. Will she feel homesick during her summer living and learning on Elon’s campus? What would the program actually entail?

What she found was support for her academic and personal success from Elon faculty and staff not committed to the College Access and Success program, but from fellow students in her cohort, the Academy’s 15th Elon and named after the Greek letter “pi. “

“Academically, Elon Academy really pushes me to excel creatively and critically among my peers,” Brent said Wednesday night at a reception hosted by Book President Connie Ledoux for her cohort, who will graduate from high school in a few weeks. “I found myself surrounded by mentors, peers, and teachers who are not only passionate about student success, but also invested in our personal growth. At the end of the day, they prepare us to start anything.”

Brent and the other 14 students in Elon Academy’s Pi cohort are well prepared for what’s to come, and Wednesday night they were joined by family and friends to recognize all they’ve accomplished in their high school years and celebrate what it follows. as they continue their educational journeys.

Elon Academy is the university’s program for academically promising high school students in Alamance County with financial need and/or no family history of college. The program, part of the Center for Access and Success, consists of three consecutive summer residential experiences before the sophomore, junior and senior years, as well as year-round Saturday programs for students and families.

These 16 scholars received 90 college acceptances from over 30 colleges and universities. Because of challenges from an overhaul of the federal system for determining financial aid options for college, many students are still waiting to hear about financial aid, but already, at least half of the cohort will be able to graduate with a degree with little or no credit. debt. They will head to institutions such as Elon University, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC State University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Guilford College, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Alamance Community College.

Associate Professor Kim Pyne, who is Elon Academy’s interim director, said these scholars’ time in the program has been a bit of a roller coaster as they navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have persevered and are ready for their next big adventure. “You were 100 percent committed to your goal of going to college,” Pyne told the researchers. “You worked hard, supported each other and supported each other. Now you are finally on the verge of seeing your goals and dreams come true.”

President Connie Ledoux Book spoke about the value of a college education and reminded the Pi Scholars that they have received the training and tools they will need to succeed in the years to come. “We are confident in your ability to navigate college, know how to ask for help and how to turn to your peers as you did at Elon Academy for support,” Book said. “We want to continue to be a support to you as you navigate your college experience. This community remains available for you to reach out to and turn to for our support and guidance as you navigate college. Congratulations on everything you’ve achieved to get to this point – we’re excited for what’s next in your life.”

During the program, several students were recognized for the educational opportunities that await them:

• Chloe Grandsire is the first Elon Academy Scholar to win the Questbridge Scholarship, which paired her with Duke University, where she will receive more than $87,000 a year. Questbridge Scholarships connect some of the nation’s most exceptional young people from families living on lower incomes to top colleges and opportunities.
• George Thompson won the Goodnight Scholarship at NC State University. This is another four-year, fully funded scholarship program that invests in students from low- and middle-income families in North Carolina studying in STEM disciplines.
• The Ja’Sāi branch earned a spot in UNC-Greensboro’s flagship Guarantee Scholars student success program, which offers mentorship, a vibrant community and works alongside its students to develop innovative ways to overcome barriers to success.
• Three cohort members will attend Elon as Elon Odyssey Program Scholars: Jimmy Barrera-Mancilla, Venus Castaneda, and Jonathan Mushi.

As they prepare for high school graduation, the Pi researchers heard from Janya Moore, a fellow Elon Academy graduate who two years ago attended her own president’s reception as a scholar and is now studying social work at State University Winston-Salem. “Before you start this new chapter in your life, I want you to know that it’s okay not to know everything,” Moore said. “College will be a new environment for everyone.”

As high-achieving students, they may be used to being ahead of their schoolwork and able to overcome challenges with ease, Moore said. “There are going to be times when you get feedback you don’t like, you don’t know how to adjust your bed, or you’re just struggling on an assignment,” Moore said. “Please do me a favor and ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

To recognize their accomplishments and help prepare them for what lies ahead, each Pi Scholar received an academic lanyard designating them as Elon Academy Scholars to wear at their high school graduation and a copy of the book ” I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearless Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times” by Mónica Guzmán, this year’s shared reading selection at Elon, courtesy of the university’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter.

Emily Winterich-Knox, assistant director of student success at Elon, closed the reception with words of encouragement for the Pi Scholars. “Your college acceptances and scholarships are not a mistake,” Winterich-Knox told them. “You won every single one of them. Believe that you can do this and that everything you need to get to college is already inside of you.”