1. Elementary schools: Kindergarten Reading for Life

In fall 2007, NCI launched a reading program in all kindergarten classes in the Martinsville and Henry County area. Staff at NCI along with community volunteers will read to each kindergarten class and then present each student with their own book.  The goal of this program is to promote a solid foundation of reading and a love of learning in the hope that all students will become avid readers for educational success.

2. Elementary schools: 5^th grade College Awareness

Outreach Educators partner with Henry County 4-H to reach every 5^th grade student at three county schools in the academic year (Stanleytown, Ridgeway, and John Redd Smith) and at one city school (Albert Harris).  A college awareness presentation is made and group and one-on-one discussions follow throughout the school year. 

3. Elementary schools: NCI partners with the Boys and Girls Clubs and with the Martinsville-Henry County After 3 Initiative to present after-school programs to participants in order to raise awareness of occupations and college education.

4. Middle schools: 7^th grade College Promise Club

Outreach Educators establish College Promise clubs at each middle school.  Ten students (five female, five male) from each school are selected with assistance from school personnel to be in the club.  Target students are first generation with academic potential.  Outreach Educators meet with the clubs once a week for 40-45 minutes for six weeks (during an exploratory class so that the student does not miss critical academic content) and utilize CollegeEd curriculum developed by the College Board.  Parents/guardians are also included. Outreach Educators meet with each student and family at least one time during the semester, preferably more often.  Parents receive a copy of the CollegeEd parent handbook.  At the conclusion of the program, students and parents are invited on a field trip to a local college sponsored by NCI.  Outreach Educators administer pre- and post-tests to the students to determine knowledge gained by utilizing this approach.

5. High schools: 10^th Grade Roadmap to College

With the goal of reaching every 10^th grader, Outreach Educators present a “Roadmap to College” lesson to 10^th grade English classes.  Included is a checklist that may help students reach their goal of attending college.

6. High schools: National Society of Black Engineers

NCI hosts monthly meetings of the Henry County Schools chapter and Martinsville City Schools chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and staff present workshops on college awareness and preparation.

7. Parents and Families: Family University

Targeting parents/guardians/families without college degrees, Family University is a multi-topic seminar series that can be presented over a period of time, such as once a week for six weeks at a church or community center, or during a one-day workshop on a Saturday.  Topics address issues that relate to valuing a college education, how to apply to college, transitions to college, financial aid, etc.  The purpose of the seminar is to encourage parents to consider postsecondary education for themselves and their children and to help them make college a reality.  The initial target populations are the communities of faith.

8. Teachers and School Administration: College Table Talk

NCI Outreach Educators host occasional lunches with various small groups from area schools, including guidance staff, principals, lead teachers, department heads, etc., and generate discussions on current NCI activities.  These meetings both inform school personnel about updates at NCI as well as help NCI staff stay current with what is happening in each of the schools.

9. Summer Internships

Thanks to funding from the Virginia Tobacco Commission, NCI sponsored paid summer internships to 21 current college students in 2007.  The students were from Martinsville, Henry County, or Patrick County and had to be currently accepted to and/or enrolled in an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree program at an accredited college or university and must have completed at least one year of coursework prior to beginning the internship(excluding dual enrollment credits).  Intentionally unique, the students were free to seek an internship placement with any potential employer and once the two agreed upon a position, an application proposal was then submitted to NCI.  Sixty-seven students applied to this highly successful program in 2007.

10. Summer Camps 

NCI sponsored two summer camps in 2007:

1. Super Spy Secrets & Wild and Wonderful Camp

Fourteen students between the ages of seven and ten enjoyed the Southside Summer Adventure camp focusing on forensic science and zoology, a coordinated effort between NCI and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville.  Held at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, the students learned how detectives, criminologists and even the FBI use science to catch the trickiest criminals. They took fingerprints, collected evidence, described a suspect, and even wrote in secret code. By the end of the week, they worked together to solve a “real” crime.  Students also explored the amazing world of animals from the pooch to the panther. They learned how wild and tame animals are cared for by veterinarians and animal owners.  They discovered how animals survive in the wild using their own “science of survival.”

2. Camp Idea 

In 2007, NCI sponsored a one-week summer camp for 10 middle school students in the area to promote an entrepreneurial spirit.  Utilizing a curriculum refined by Junior Achievement, NCI staff and summer interns partnered with local business men and women to deliver engaging and informational activities and lessons designed to utilize classroom learning and practical experience. Participants learned the basics of entrepreneurship: what an entrepreneur is, turning personal interests into business opportunities, how to start a business, and how to write a business plan. Guest instructors – local entrepreneurs and business men and women- gave students useful insights into the “real world” implications of what they learn in the classroom.

As the culmination of the experience, students were divided into groups and were tasked with developing a business, business plan, and advertisements.  On the final day of camp the students presented their finished projects to an audience that included NCI staff, parents, and local business leaders.