© 2024 Texas Public Radio
Real. Reliable. Texas Public Radio.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

High School Students Get A Taste Of College Life

Ryan Loyd
/
TPR

Summer break is still in full swing, but for the 136 area high school students participating in Camp GenTX, their vacation still involves learning.

The students moved into the dorms at Trinity University on Monday morning, ready for a three-day college experience of eating in the dining halls, hearing lectures, and walking around on campus.

"The inspiration comes from them just being on a college campus for three days and really living like a college student in hopes that they get motivated and excited to go to college," said Rosa Gomez, marketing and communications director for Generation TX San Antonio, an organization that focuses on encouraging high school students to apply and go to college.

Gomez said more than 400 applicants applied to this year’s Camp GenTX, but only 136 could be a part of the program. Last year, the first year for the program, 62 students attended the camp.

High school senior Brendon McCullough is excited to see what the experience will be like. He unpacked in his dorm room before the camp began.

"I want to go to college and probably study engineering and hopefully, I play basketball, so I want to try to play basketball there," he said.

Lectures will include topics like how to avoid risky behavior once at college, like hazing.

"What is college? What do I need to prepare? What do I need to think about? What do I need to major in?" said Gomez of additional issues that will be addressed.

When the camp started, GenTX said that 22 percent of the campers said they had the knowledge of how to complete a college application.

At the end of camp, 90 percent said they did.

"The mission of GenTX is college and career [readiness], and so we feel like this is the best way to get students college and career ready is put them on a college campus," said Gomez.

Ryan Loyd was Texas Public Radio's city beat and political reporter. He left the organization in December, 2014.