LEXINGTON, Ky. — When Melissa Merscham and Onesimo Banda hear a student described as “at-risk,” they see opportunity. They, too, were once considered at risk.
This summer at the University of Kentucky, they began guiding rising ninth graders with backgrounds like theirs on a path to reach for the stars.
In its pilot year, “Bright Pathways: Ignite Your Future” provides a small group of students with concentrated academic and experiential opportunities through a community partnership between the UK College of Education, Fayette County Public Schools and the Bluegrass Community Foundation.
Organizers believe — and evidence shows — that by providing rising ninth graders at risk of dropping out a chance to earn credits the summer before starting high school, they will enter high school strong and be set up for success.
Bright Pathways, which lasts seven weeks, is a partial residential program where students attend classes at a local high school, then move to classrooms on the UK campus and stay overnight in UK residence halls during weeks four through six. In the residential portion, Saturday mornings are spent exploring local museums, businesses, and cultural opportunities before a brief trip home for one night, then a return to campus Sunday afternoon.
Ultimately, the program is expected to increase the likelihood of the participants finishing high school and being accepted into a college or university upon graduating.
“The opportunity these students had to accelerate their learning over the summer while also living on UK’s campus for four weeks is something they will never forget,” said James McMillin, chief school leadership officer, Fayette County Public Schools. “Each of these Bright Pathways students will enter high school with at least one credit and an experience that will put them on the road to success over the next four years.”
Organizers say the summer focus on Algebra I is particularly important.
“Data shows students, no matter their background, who do not master Algebra I in high school struggle in post-secondary education opportunities. This summer course is not an easy or ‘gimme’ credit. Even those who don’t earn it during Bright Pathways are getting the background and will go on to complete Algebra I freshman year. Our focus on growth mindsets, self-esteem and mental health will give them that push, too,” Banda said.
By hosting portions at UK, Bright Pathways is designed to demystify the college experience and create a pipeline of belongingness in a higher education environment.
Like the students taking part in Bright Pathways, Merscham, who has a Ph.D. and is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, and Banda, who is completing his doctorate in the Department of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation, came from families with no college background, with some members never having a chance to finish high school.
Merscham enjoyed Upward Bound during her youth in Texas, where she could attend classes on college campuses and experience living in residence halls. Not only did she eventually become a first-generation college student, but she is one of relatively few Latina women in the U.S. to be a first-generation college student who earned a doctorate.
“I can 100% connect with these young people. I was them. Upward Bound saved my life. I know Bright Pathways can have this same effect and impact,” Merscham said.
On a recent afternoon at UK, Merscham and Banda and Fayette County teacher Shane Ware made their way around a room, approaching students with raised hands to offer help. The students worked algebra equations on individual whiteboards and entered their answers on a laptop. Their hours together this summer have created a special bond that feels like a family unit, Merscham said.
Many Bright Pathways students have indicated they can now see themselves going to college. Organizers expect the high school credits the students are earning this summer will put them on track to completing a college-bound high school curriculum, which also opens doors to opportunities to earn college credits in high school through dual credit programs.
“They are seeing the backgrounds and life experiences of the mentors here and are saying, ‘Wait, you really do come from that background?’ They had this mindset they were not good enough for college or they were not the type to go. They are learning they really can reach for the stars. When we set super high goals with the students, even those who don’t reach the highest goal will still achieve even more than they ever expected,” Banda said.
During his graduate studies in Texas, Banda was mentored by Texas State University professor Jaime Chahin, Ph.D., who developed a program — Caminos — that Bright Pathways is modeled after.
Caminos produced highly successful results, including that:
- 100% of students earned at least one credit the computer technology course;
- 60% of students earned two credits;
- 30% of students earned all three credits;
- 100% of students who did not earn the Algebra I or English I credit would go on to earn the credits their freshman year of high school (No student earned a grade below 80 in Algebra I or English I.);
- 90% of students who stayed in the local school district graduated on time; and
- 70% of students were accepted to a college or university upon graduating.
Bright Pathways students in Lexington are on track to replicate and potentially exceed these results. Out of 11 students who participated in the pilot program from beginning to end this summer:
- 100% of students earned the robotics credit;
- 82% of students earned the ethnic studies credit; and
- 64% earned the Algebra I credit.
The student’s success in Bright Pathways could lead to outcomes that will last for generations. This is something Banda and Merscham are witnessing in their own families.
