Jack and Jill providing free ACT prep and college application resources for KCK high schoolers

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.

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The Kansas City, Kansas, chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. is hosting its first-ever free ACT and college prep workshop this weekend for KCK-area high school students.

The event runs from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Kansas City, Kansas, Community College's Technical Education Center. It is free and open to all KCK-area high school students.

Co-Program Director Allison Williamson said the chapter identified a need for college readiness support after reviewing local test scores and college success rates.

Rachel Henderson/KSHB 41

"When we were looking at the test scores and the success rates for our high school students actually going off to college and actually being successful in college, we found that there was a need here in the Kansas City, Kansas, school area," Williamson said. "We just want to offer that to the high schoolers here in Kansas City, Kansas. We've identified that there's a need for them to learn good test-taking skills, as well as college preparation.”

Local high school teacher Patrice Brewer developed the ACT prep curriculum that will be featured at the workshop.

The event will cover two of the four ACT subjects: math and language arts.

Williamson will also offer essay writing critiques and help students fill out applications through the Common Application. Attendees will find information on financial aid opportunities, as well as other community events and workshops available throughout the year.

Juniors and seniors eligible to take the ACT will also have access to a station at the event where they can enroll for the next ACT test.

"We're just going to try to give them as many resources as possible, so they'll be prepared, and if there are any juniors or seniors that are eligible to take the ACT test, we will also have a little station so they can enroll in the next ACT testing," Williamson said.

Williamson said the October timing is intentional.

"We want to do it in October, right now, before early enrollment and early applications are going in because some of these colleges are identifying the people that they want and they're notifying them once and early. We want to make sure they have the ACT score that they want, and that actually opens up the door for different scholarship opportunities," Williamson said.

The chapter hopes to bring the workshop back in the future.

"I just want to make sure that kids are prepared, that they know their options and that they keep in mind that college is something that's attainable," Williamson said.

Jack and Jill of America, Inc. is a philanthropic and leadership development organization for African American mothers and their children ages 2 to 19. The organization was founded in 1938 in Philadelphia and has more than 250 chapters nationwide, serving more than 70,000 family members.

Families interested in signing up for the workshop can do so here. Space is limited with up to 24 students being accepted.

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