Information about Phuture Phoenix program shared at upcoming cookout

GREEN BAY — Parents of children in fifth through ninth grades at participating Phuture Phoenix schools in Green Bay, De Pere and Oneida, are invited to a free information session and cookout on Thursday, May 14.

The cookout is from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts on campus, 2420 Nicolet Drive. Free bus service to campus is available from Green Bay West High School at 5 p.m., and from Green Bay East High School at 5:15 p.m. The buses will return to the schools following the event.

Participating Phuture Phoenix schools include:

Green Bay Schools
Chappell Elementary, Danz Elementary, Doty Elementary, Eisenhower Elementary, Fort Howard Elementary, Howe Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Keller Elementary, Kennedy Elementary, Nicolet Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Sullivan Elementary, Tank Elementary, Edison Middle School, Franklin Middle School, Washington Middle School, East High School, West High School, Preble High School.

West De Pere Schools
Hemlock Creek Elementary, Westwood Elementary, West De Pere Middle School, West De Pere High School.

Oneida Nation
Oneida Turtle School.

The information session will explain more about the Phuture Phoenix program and why it’s important to start giving children encouragement about higher education at an early age.

Parents should know, and children should start to learn in fifth grade that:

• a college degree increases professional success and can double lifetime income.

• with enough preparation, all students can succeed in college.

• parental support can greatly influence a child’s preparation for college.

• money is available to help children attend college.

Phuture Phoenix began in 2003 and has since served more than 6,100 schoolchildren from low-income schools in Green Bay, De Pere, Oneida Nation and several outlying districts.

The program’s signature event is an annual tour of the UW-Green Bay campus for about 1,300 fifth-graders from elementary schools with significant poverty rates. As the children visit UW-Green Bay and experience “college,” they are encouraged to be excited about education, eventual high school graduation, and the possibilities for college, university or technical college careers. For many students, visiting a college campus is the first step toward feeling motivated to attend college.

Hundreds of UW-Green Bay students volunteer each year to serve as hosts and role models for the fifth-graders during these Phuture Phoenix Day activities. They also conduct follow-up visits to elementary schools. UW-Green Bay students provide continued contact and additional mentorship during the middle and high school years, tutoring more than 900 students annually throughout Brown County. Tutoring in schools is aimed at raising student attendance, improving academic success and increasing high school graduation rates for at-risk students.

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