2010
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Second Quarter Newsletter
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Best Kept Secret in Town!
The College Access Center of Delaware County (CACDC) has been tagged the best kept secret in town. Located on the corner of 21st and Providence Ave. on Widener University's campus, we offer:
1) Information Highways to SAT/ACT
Preparation and Examinations
2) Extensive College Prep Resources
3) Prime Location: Connecting Delco Residents
4) Wired for Learning-Academic Atmosphere
5) Year Round College Prep Advising
CACDC's Fall 2010 Goal: To increase Delaware County Residents' usage of our
space and services by 25%. Please join our efforts and participate: We're
on the Move!
As part of this powerful effort, CACDC will continue
to cultivate a culture that values and sees the necessity of early college
preparation, even beginning at the middle school level, in ensuring students
the most optimal success in the college application process.
As our services and community presence continues to grow and change to better
meet community, organizational and student needs, the CACDC looks eagerly to
what the future may bring.
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SAT/ACT Prep and College Readiness Summer Camp : Hottest Ticket of the Summer
 Are you searching for free, quality SAT/ACT
prep for you or your student? Do you have trouble finding available seating
space in overfilled SAT/ACT prep courses
during the school year? We have the answer.
The CACDC Presents: 2010 SAT/ACT Prep and
College Readiness Summer Camp. For your convenience we offer two sessions:
Session I - July 13th - 29th 10am - 1pm
and Session II August 3rd - 19th, 10am
- 1pm.
Space is limited to fifteen (15) participants. Act fast! Interested? Register
by email: collegeaccesscenterdelco@gmail.com, or calling 610-499-1391
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Job Search and Choosing a Major or Career Workshop Date: Wed., June 23rd Time: 1pm - 5pm Location: College Access Center of Delaware County (400 East 21st, 19013) Guest Presenters: - Robert Wrease Jr., Workforce Coordinator of the City of Chester
- CareerLink Representatives
*Refreshments will be provided. Door prizes for the first five (5) participants to enter. CALL TO REGISTER: 610 - 499 - 1391 |
Upcoming Summer Workshops
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010- Writing the College Essay
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010. - Voices: Cultural and Social Event
Thursday, August 5th, 2010. - Dreaming Your Goals into Reality
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A Computer Lab for Everyone
With two computer labs hosting a total of fourteen (14)
computers, free printing* and convenient walk-in hours, the CACDC is an
important resource for residents of Delaware
County.
According to the Computer and Internet Use by Students Statistical Analysis
Report issued by National Center for Education Statistics, there is a
"digital divide" affecting students and community access to the world
of cyber space and computers. The report finds that computer and internet use
are divided along demographic and socioeconomic lines. This means where one
lives and one's background impact access to computers and the internet. This
accessibility number drops significantly when access in the homes is factored.
The CACDC bridges the "digital divide" through providing a computer
lab for community use for all things related to education and college access.
*Please come accompanied with your own paper and flash drive to save your
material.
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The Achievement Project (TAP)
 The Achievement Project began
partnering with The College Access Center of Delaware County upon its inception
on February 2, 2009. The
Center supports in the form of customized workshops and priority access to
resources and space.
We have experienced a growing and expanding relationship as TAP increased from
one cohort to two cohort groups. The first group of students is
seniors and now graduating. The second cohort of students was 9th graders and
will be 10th graders in the fall.
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CACDC Welcomes the Blueprint Program With two computer labs hosting a total of fourteen (14)
computers, free printing* and convenient walk-in hours, the CACDC is an
important resource for residents of Delaware
County.
According to the Computer and Internet Use by Students Statistical Analysis
Report issued by National Center for Education Statistics, there is a
"digital divide" affecting students and community access to the world
of cyber space and computers. The report finds that computer and internet use
are divided along demographic and socioeconomic lines. This means where one
lives and one's background impact access to computers and the internet. This
accessibility number drops significantly when access in the homes is factored.
The CACDC bridges the "digital divide" through providing a computer
lab for community use for all things related to education and college access.
*Please come accompanied with your own paper and flash drive to save your
material.
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Special Guest from the Office of Attorney General Tom Corbett:
Presentation on Cyberbullying
 April 17th at the CACDC, the Chester Pearls Foundation
hosted Internet Safety: Bullying, Security and Cultural Shifts featuring Mr.
Claude Thomas, Senior Supervisory Special Agent of the Education and Outreach
Program, from the Office of Attorney General Tom Corbett.
Mr. Thomas presented
to a room of over twenty-five (25) persons including young men, their parents
and Chester Pearls Foundation members. Covering the hot topics of bullying on
social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, misuse of text messaging,
youth suicide, online predators, the permanency of online posts and perspective
employers, universities and colleges monitoring these sites and the content
posted on them.
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FAFSA Workshops Exciting spring 2010 Financial Assistance and FAFSA Workshop
Series Facilitated by Financial Aid Officers from: -Neumann University -Swarthmore College (Lead Officer) -Villanova University - PHEAA Five Extensive Workshops covered the below listed topics: -
Line-by-line, one-on-one assistance
filling out the FAFSA
- Information presented on the Federal
Student Aid Program
- Detailed explanations about federal
student loans
- The process of Determining Financial
Need and Awarding Aid
- Comparing Financial Aid Packages
- "Debunking the Myths of
Financial Aid: A Workshop for Students and Families
- Clarification was provided on the
difference between need-based and non-need based aid
- Financial Aid Officers held a
"special private workshop" for foster students aging out eligibility
for services through the Family Support Line
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Testimonials
#1
When I first came into the center, I was only focused on
completing my senior community service project. However with all this talk of
college and doing something after I graduate, I became centered and determined
to change my path. I am now enrolled in the Summer Session at All State Career
School as a Registered Medical Assistant candidate. Thank you CACDC.
~Ashley Hamler, Chester High School
'10
#2
This place has helped my daughter so much. She loves coming here to
learn. ~Kathie Bersheim of Brookhaven, PA
#3
I am glad that your program offers courses like this. I am so
excited. I have forwarded this information to other parents so that they
are aware of the College Access Center of Delaware County and what the
program has to offer.
~Stephanie Freeman, Parent of Strath Haven
High School Youth
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Thank You, Tutors!
Offering tutoring and homework help nights facilitated by
Swarthmore College, Widener University and Neumann University students, the CACDC
understands the multifaceted benefit in linking high school students with
college aged volunteers. With our volunteer tutors specializing in core
academic content areas such as math, English, science, history and foreign
languages, we fill in the gaps our tutored students may have acquired on their
educational journey.
 However, the perks continue beyond academic support. High school students are
more easily able to relate to volunteers closer in age and able to make more
tangible the goal of college attainment when meeting students who have gone
through the same process.
Committed to incorporating dynamic methods that introduce high school students
to the college preparation process, the CACDC commends its volunteer tutors for
going above and beyond standard tutoring to provide invaluable mentoring.
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Scholarship Resources
High SchoolDuck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at
Prom ContestEntrants must enter
as a couple (two individuals) and attend a high school prom wearing complete
attire or accessories made from duct tape. http://www.duckbrand.com/Home/Promotions/stuck-at-prom/Rules.aspx Deadline: June 7 of the calendar year. _____________
Horatio Alger Association
ScholarshipsOvercoming
Adversity National Scholarship: https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/program_national.cfm Pennsylvania State
Scholarship: https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/program_penn.cfm
For deadlines contact the Horatio Alger Association: (703) 684-9444 _____________
Prudential Spirit of Community
AwardsFor those who engaged
in volunteer activities and have demonstrated exceptional community service. http://spirit.prudential.com/view/page/soc/14782?lp=14845 Deadline: November 2 of the calendar year Undergraduate
David Letterman
Telecommunications ScholarshipTo provide scholarships for telecommunications
students at Ball State University. http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/CollegesandDepartments/Telecommunications/ScholarshipsandFinancialAid/Scholarships.aspx
Deadline: March 1st of the calendar year_____________
Patricia M. McNamara Memorial
ScholarshipFor current college students who have had to
overcome obstacles to achieve their goals http://www.patricias-scholarship.org/faq.html Deadline: May 31 of the calendar year _____________
Akademos / TextbookX.com
Scholarship ContestEssay writing contest http://www.textbookx.com/scholarship/
For deadline please contact scholarship giver directlyGeneralThe Do Something AwardsFor "change-makers" age 25 and under who
work with Do Something to improve their communities http://www.dosomething.org/programs/awards Deadline is March 1_____________
College Prowler Essay
CompetitionCurrent high school and college students for the
best original college application essay https://collegeprowler.com/scholarship/apply.aspx
The deadline is the last day of each month. For more information, send
email to scholarship@collegeprowler.com.
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Meet the CACDC Team
Gwendolyn Atkinson-Miller, Director
Shayna SheNess Israel, Program
Coordinator
Fran Ley, Administrative
Assistant
Janice Maiorano, Administrative
Assistant
Debbie Nguyen, SAT/ACT Program Facilitator
Philmon Haile, Summer Fellowship
Intern
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Look out for Voices!
Coming in July
Stay Tuned
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Access and Education:
Partners in Success
College Access Centers are integral components in the quest
to increase high school graduates and first generation low-income college
goers.
The need for intervention regarding access to college and
retention both at the high school and college level becomes increasingly clear
as articulated by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and reported by the
National College Access Network:
"Despite garnering global admiration, the U.S.
higher education system has to overcome deep social gaps in educational
attainment that continue to erode American progress, according to
Duncan...Nearly one in every three U.S.
high school students drops out of school amounting to about 2.1 million
students a year."
This emphasizes the importance of
institutions that support the above goals such as the CACDC. With our motto Access
to Information = Access to Opportunity, we accomplish
these objectives through our vast array of college prep resources and programs
for high school youth and adult learners.
As the global climate shifts in terms of development and
innovation, as a world leader in Education, America
is seeing the gap in its lead close as the
competition from the international arena increases. College Access Centers, such as
CACDC, are charged with the undertaking to engage youth and adult learners in
garnering much needed early preparation and holistic support around the college
application process.
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CACDC Summer Hours
Monday - Thursday
9am - 5pm
Friday
9am - 12pm
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Basic Free Services
College Resource Center
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Assistance Completing College Applications and Related Documents
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SAT/ACT Test Preparation
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Informational Sessions and Workshops
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Financial Aid Information
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Peer Tutors/Counselors
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Homework Help Night
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Computer Lab
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The College Access Center of
Delaware County
Widener University Campus * 400 E. 21st Street, Chester, PA 19013
PHONE: 610-499-1391 EMAIL: info@collegeaccessdelco.org
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GREAT SPONSORS = GREAT POSSIBILITIES!
The College Access Center of
Delaware County (CACDC) is an initiative of the Chester Higher Education
Council, a nonprofit entity consisting of the Presidents of Cheyney University,
Delaware County Community College, Neumann
College, Penn State Brandywine, Swarthmore College
and Widener University, and supported by the United Way
of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
  
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