January 06, 2007 05:17 PM
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FVSU students share college experiences with area high school students



When Geoffrey Powell stepped into a classroom at Twiggs High School last fall, he was prepared to answer questions – questions about what it’s really like to be a college student.

Powell, a sophomore criminal justice major from Stone Mountain, participates in a Fort Valley State University student group called STREAM (Striving To Reinstitute Education Among Minds). Members take their on-campus experiences into high school classrooms. STREAM members have already visited high schools in Twiggs and Crawford counties, and plan to cover additional high schools in nearby counties.

“We want to encourage young people to go to college,” Powell said. “We talk to them and try to be a mentor. We answer their questions.”

Those questions typically are about grading procedures, class sizes and the challenges of taking college-level courses. Then there are always plenty of questions about campus social life. STREAM members also discuss issues related to culture, health and safety on campus.

“We make sure they know college is not all about partying,” Powell said. “It’s about the academic side. Studying comes first.”

The idea for STREAM came from P.J. Peterson, FVSU evening program supervisor for Residential and Student Life. Peterson is also a 2002 FVSU mass communications graduate.

“I feel like, especially in Middle Georgia, we need to stress the importance of a college education and prepare students for what lies ahead,” Peterson said.

Fifteen students – a mix of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors – from different majors participate in STREAM. This diversity enables the group to answer the questions that come their way.

“STREAM gives our students an opportunity to build mentoring relationships and reach out to the students behind them,” Peterson said.

As for Powell, he looks forward to watching those high school students develop into college coeds.

“We develop a long-lasting bond,” he said. “We remember their names and we’re here to help them.”