DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – College is nearly 5 years out for 8th grader Gianna Trotter, but she’s already a step ahead, preparing for what’s next.
“Still deciding if I want to be in special ed or in OB-GYN. I’m really interested in health and being a doctor,” Trotter told FOX 11.
Trotter’s interest came after seeing her sister give birth. Ignited with determination, she took to St. Norbert College for the Black Scholar program.
The program is hosted by the northeast chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. The goal is to help students of color confront challenges while in school.
The chapter’s programming and planning chair Jenene Calloway….
“We wanted to provide them with opportunity with other individuals that have attended college that look just like them who are just from background very similar to the background they’re from and show them what’s possible.”
Organizers said the program is targeting African-Americans mainly due to the large achievement gap seen in recent data.
Chapter president, Ameerah McBrie told FOX 11.
“If you look on the department of public instruction website you can see that the students, the black students particular in the Green Bay area, are not graduating in the same rate as their peers.”
According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, last year, African-Americans in the Green Bay area school district had the lowest graduation rate within four years.
Only 64 percent graduated. Whites had a graduation rate of more than 90 percent.
“I think the achievement gap has several different factors, I don’t think there’s one specific reason we can touch on.”
McBrie added that the gap exists largely because a lot of parents aren’t informed about education.
“Another issue that we see is that there may not be culturally relevant or culturally competent education going on.”
The seminar taught students like Trotter everything from applying for school to dealing with the college life.
“I learned more than I thought I would learn and so a lot of the things they said, I would have never thought I would do. I’m a procrastinator, which they said will not get you through college so it’s like okay.”
And there’s no doubt Trotter is already soaking in that lesson as she prepares for college five years early.
