Roaring Fork PreCollegiate is a college preparatory program for highly motivated students in Basalt, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs who would be the first in their family to go to college. PreCollegiate has almost 300 students currently enrolled throughout the Re-1 School District served by over 40 volunteers, and we are growing fast! Demand for the program greatly outstrips our ability to meet need.
The program recruits qualified students in 7th grade and pairs them in small groups of 10 – 15 with a volunteer mentor. The mentor then follows the student through their high school career until they graduate. These are hard working, committed students who have tremendous potential.
Talented and committed mentors are the key to the PreCollegiate program. Each mentor is a role model and group leader for 10 to 15 students of the same grade level. Mentors meet with their student group during the school year during school hours at least once a month. These meetings typically are during the lunch period, last about forty-five minutes, and are scheduled through each school at a mutually convenient time for both mentors and students. Mentors are first and foremost advocates for the student, but they are also there to share life experiences, set a college-going expectation, and help the students navigate the complicated process of selecting and applying for college. In effect, a mentor is an academic and life coach, who supports his or her kids to overcome obstacles and stay on a college-bound track.