KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Over the next two days, more than 1,000 sixth-graders will go to college for the first time. Every sixth-grade student in Kansas City Public Schools will get a taste of college life.
"It's so important because at this point in time, this is where students start to make their decisions about what they want to do in their future," said Jermaine Wilson, Director of Counseling and Support Services at Kansas City Public Schools.
Hundreds of sixth-grade students visited Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley Campus as part of Kids2College, a national initiative to inspire a "college-going culture."
"For many of our students, this is their first opportunity to be on a college campus," said Wilson.
For the past six weeks, KCPS sixth-graders have been part of the Kids2College program at their schools. The program educates kids early about college and careers.
"Research has shown that it helps them to make more successful choices as they matriculate through secondary schools," said Wilson.
Currently, 70 percent of students in KCPS graduate and attend college. The district is hoping to increase the number by giving students the opportunity to tour the college campus and participate in hands-on activities in specific career areas offered at the college.
This is the fifth year KCPS has participated in the Kids2College program.
