Urban League Education Department

The EDGE orientation was a success! On Saturday, Septmeber 27, 2008, approximately 200 parents, students and volunteers came to Cedar Valley College to learn what to expect from this year's program. There were lot's of returning EDGE students from last year, and a whole host of new inductees for this year.

After going over the program structure and fielding questions, parents and students were separated for a time of direct focus on their respective needs from the program. Students went outdoors and got a chance to interact with each other and the volunteers through a series of hilariously fun icebreaker games. They won prizes and collected school supplies (generously donated by the Urban League Young Professionals).

Parents remained indoors and learned about next steps to getting their child in college and how to pay for it. Additionally, parents sectioned off to form their own peer connections and talk about ways the EDGE program can further benefit their students. This activity generated a lot of buzz among EDGE parents. We now have EDGE parent volunteers who will work to spear-head EDGE parent information sessions throughout the year!

The support for the 2008-2009 program year is awesome! Corporate volunteers from Citigroup and Texas Instruments, among others, showed in numbers to lend their support. The Urban League Young Professionals really stepped up to the plate and have literally adopted the EDGE program, to work with it and ensure its success. The variety of career fields represented within their organization alone, as well as other corporate/community sponsors represented, gave strong credibility to EDGE's ability to pair each EDGE participante with a career mentor in order to complete individual development plans (learn more). There is definitely excitement in the air. Can you feel it?!?