Dreams don’t have to end when reality sets in. When it comes to the dreams of Washington High School students, graduation should be the beginning. Graduates who have gone through the DREAM (Developing Resources for Education and Athletics in Massillon) program are finding that the information, support and encouragement that pushed them to pursue their dreams in high school is still there the moment they set foot on a college campus. Janet Howard, executive director of Walsh Leadership Institute, oversees the implementation and direction of DREAM’s College Readiness Program. It targets students who have the potential to excel in college and gives them the confidence and know-how they need to pursue higher education. Beyond high school, Howard makes it a point to stay actively involved with former DREAM students through phone calls and e-mails. DREAM students now attending Walsh meet monthly with Howard. It’s their chance to catch up, ask questions or get advice as they continue their educational careers. Over lunch Nov. 1, Howard met with sophomore Tiffany Smith and freshmen Sarah Sipus, Amanda Roush and Brittany Lamp. They asked questions about financial aid and talked about how classes were going this semester. Chemistry, Smith said, is tough. “I’m afraid to miss even one class, because you’ll fall so far behind,” she said. Smith, a pre-veterinary medicine major, knows there are challenges ahead academically, but she has her heart set on a career in veterinary medicine and won’t let a challenging curriculum change those plans. “There was this one girl, a freshman, in my class who talked about where she wanted to go, and she had her life all planned out. Then, just like that, one day she decided she didn’t want to do it anymore,” Smith said. “I don’t understand that. … You may think you’re doing bad in a class, but that only means you can get better.” Howard couldn’t help but smile. The students, she said, have come so far, not only in their accomplishments since high school but in their visions for their futures. “You sound so much more mature in your views and goals,” Howard said. “For me, it’s so neat to observe that.” All of the Massillon DREAM graduates attending Walsh commute. Howard’s goal is to encourage them to be as actively engaged in campus life as possible. Roush plans to join the choir this semester, and Howard is encouraging that decision. Howard’s goal is to make it financially possible for all four of the DREAM students to live at least one semester on campus. “The real experience, I think, is both sides,” Howard said. “It’s getting to understand the social aspects of (college) by joining the choir or getting to know the people that live on your floor. I’ve always believed the social aspect was an integral part of the educational experience.” The experience and insight the students have after just a semester or two on campus is invaluable. Howard plans to tap that insight later this year by partnering current DREAM students with graduates for shadowing opportunities and conversations. For Sipus, the chance to visit a college campus, talk with college students and sit in on classes helped direct her educational plan. That, in the long run, saved her money because she didn’t have to change majors after starting college. “I ended up picking my major (business) based on the shadowing,” Sipus said with a laugh. “I wanted to go into education, but I sat through a math class where they didn’t use any numbers, and that scared me.” Last Tuesday, DREAM students spent the day on the Walsh University campus talking with Howard and DREAM graduates about what to expect from higher education. Topics discussed included how to choose a college, how a college chooses you and how to navigate the financial aid.

DREAM program grads keep focused on their goals

Tags: nov 1, education beyond high school, janet howard, veterinary medicine, higher education

2 Responses to “DREAM program grads keep focused on their goals”