When asked why she’s here at the University of Rochester today, Abigail Gonzalez ’16 will most likely reply that were it not for New Pathways for Youth she’d probably still be back in her hometown, Phoenix, Ariz.  It’s because of programs like this that troubled youths can beat the odds and attend institutions of higher learning like Rochester.  Gonzalez comes from a family of modest means, and throughout junior high and high school depended on the counsel of her mentor, Ellen Dean, assigned by the program. Dean would help her with homework, career searching, and networking.  A poster child for the program’s success, Gonzalez was invited to return to Phoenix in February to serve as a guest speaker at the organization’s annual breakfast.

The program has undergone several name changes in the time Gonzalez has been involved in it, both as a mentee and as a returning alumna. First, it was called Arizona Quest for Kids, was later named Phoenix Youth at Risk, until program administrators settled on New Pathways for Youth, taking out the word “risk” altogether.

It’s programs like New Pathways for Youth that allow bright young minds like Gonzalez to flourish and do real good in the world. Like many students at Rochester, she came in with the mindset of becoming a doctor, but also like many students, came to the realization that pre-med was not for her. Now a business major, she has aspirations to begin a foundation. Right now, she enjoys the small, personal, diverse environment of the U of R. Her favorite class is Spanish. She feels that in spite of her Latino heritage, she never really learned to read and write Spanish well, and now she has an excellent opportunity to change that. Gonzalez participates in several undergraduate councils, including SUBS and MAPS, and is an active member of PAWS. Around campus, you might run into her working at the counter at Hillside Market.

When Gonzalez returned to Phoenix, she represented both the University of Rochester and the influential program that got her here. It wouldn’t be the least bit surprising to learn that in 10 or 20 years, she has established a new foundation for troubled youth, coming full circle from being on the verge of trouble herself.

Last year, Oladoyin Oladeru ’13 mentored middle school students about the benefits of nonviolence during in-school suspension hours and decided he wanted to create an after school program of a similar nature.  With help from the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence and fellow University of Rochester undergraduates, Oladeru established the Young Men at Peace program last fall.  The program allows 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade male students at Dr. Charles Lunsford School #19 the unique opportunity to explore a wide range of important issues related to nonviolence.

Oladeru is one of five students chosen to be a 2012-20130 Meliora Leader, a new community service initiative through the Rochester Center for Community Leadership (RCCL). Meliora Leaders create individualized service projects, allowing them to exercise intensive leadership in the Rochester community for an extended period of time. The program benefits organizations and individuals in need while providing a substantial learning experience for the students involved.

The topics addressed in Young Men at Peace are meant to inform the middle schoolers about the power of nonviolent self-transformation to overcome physical and mental obstacles. This includes awareness of positive lifestyle choices and social interactions, how to become better advocates against community and school violence, and learning about social justice heroes like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi.

In addition to Oladeru, other Young Men at Peace undergraduate mentors include Milan Byrdwell ’14, Reginald Hooks ’15, Shaquill McCullers ’14, Michael Mobarak ’15, Carl Parker ’13, and Taurean Parker ’13. All six undergraduates, whom Oladeru gathered before the start of the program last fall, serve as a source of inspiration for the students.

“We want to make the dream of obtaining a college education more attainable by showing them young men from the U of R who are living proof,” says Oladeru.

George Payne, who works at the Gandhi Institute as a Peace and Justice Educator and helps oversee the program, applauds Oladeru’s “vision and dedication,” for allowing the students involved to form “meaningful bonds with mentors in college who know about their challenges and believe in their potential.”  Echoing Payne’s praise is Principal Eva Thomas, who has called the Young Men at Peace program a “blessing” to her school.

Oladeru exercises his own life experiences while serving as a nonviolence ambassador to the young males of School # 19.  Oladeru moved from Lagos, Nigeria to the United States when he was nine years old and lived in the Bronx until college.  Around the age of the students he now mentors, Oladeru was bullied for being foreign, African, and studious. A personal “turning point” that alerted him to the importance of nonviolence occurred in 6th grade when his friend got shot on his way home after school.

“Mentorship is really important, especially at a young age,” says Oladeru. “I remember giving into peer pressure when I came to this country and I think this is an issue most prevalent with young males at that age.  It’s not enough to have two parents at home because they can’t relate and there’s only so much they can understand.”

Oladeru, who is set to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in epidemiology this May, is a McNair Scholar, a Ronald McDonald scholar, a Gilman Scholar, and a Gates Millennium Scholar.  In addition to being a Meliora Leader, he works at Carlson Library and is a Resident Advisor.  He hopes to get a master’s and doctoral degree in epidemiology and conduct population-based research in cardiovascular disease.

Oladeru has high hopes for the future of the program because the young male participants have noticeably progressed as a result of the efforts of Oladeru, his fellow UR mentors, and the Gandhi Institute.  The number of attendees has been steadily increasing and Oladeru aims for a total of 15 boys that come on a regular basis. He also hopes to plan field trips to the U of R campus, Foodlink, and Darien Lake to teach them about rules in different social settings and inspire them to be respectful no matter where you are.

“To see someone with a similar background having made it goes a long way,” says Oladeru. “The greatest joy for me is that I got people interested in volunteering who really care. We go back every week and it makes a difference.”

This article is part two of a series that features the Meliora Leaders of 2012-2013. Undergraduates interested in participating in the program should look for information on the RCCL page in the coming months. Information about the program can be found on the RCCL page at http://rochester.edu/college/rccl/meliora.html.

In the photos: Photo 1: Oladoyin Oladeru with one of the young men in his program. Photo 2: Oladoyin Oladeru and a group of University of Rochester undergraduate mentors teach male students from Dr. Charles Lunsford School #19 about the benefits of nonviolence.

Though only a sophomore, Samantha Whalen ’15 has managed to effectively find a  real-world application for her majors in anthropology and health, behavior & society and complement her interests in peer health advocacy and community outreach. As a participant in the Meliora Leaders Program, Whalen was given the opportunity to volunteer at the Sojourner House, a transitional housing program for homeless women and children located in the 19th ward community. There, she helps residents plan and cook healthy, nutritious meals.

For the 2012-2013 academic year, five Rochester students, including Whalen, were selected as inaugural participants in the Meliora Leaders program. Designed to support and incentivize community-based leadership among Rochester students, the new initiative is a part of the Rochester Center for Community Leadership (RCCL).

In addition to serving as publicity chair of the Refugee Student Alliance on campus and volunteering as a part of community service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, Whalen will spend the year running a local community service project, embodying the University motto by “seeking to ameliorate the Rochester community.”

In exchange for 300 hours of service throughout the academic year, leaders receive supplemental funding through AmeriCorps, which is matched by the University of Rochester. Participants undergo leadership training, keep in contact with a member of the host organization where the service is performed, and receive regular advisement by faculty or staff at the College.

“The program benefits organizations and individuals in need in Rochester, but also provides a substantive learning experience for our students,” says Glenn Cerosaletti, director of Rochester Center for Community Leadership. “Students stand to gain a keener understanding of the Rochester community—both its needs and assets—and make lasting connections with particular individuals in the community. At the same time, I hope they will gain an understanding of project management and how to enact social change.”

Whalen’s host organization, the Sojourner House, provides shelter for roughly 16 women at a time and any children they may have. The women living in the house must complete assigned chores, attend life skills programs that help them find jobs, and sometimes undergo counseling and therapy for issues like drug and alcohol addiction. Women and their families usually stay around six months, which is preferred to secure living arrangements, although stays vary from one month to more than a year.

At the house, Whalen noticed that women usually pooled their food stamps and resources to prepare ‘comfort’ foods, which were often unhealthy. She has been working with the life skills coordinator at the house to plan healthy meals, make shopping lists, organize the kitchen so the women have better access to adequate cooking supplies, and provide advice on healthy portion sizes. She also suggests simple recipes with varied and interesting ingredients and tries to make them as healthy and nutritious as possible while staying within budget.

“The women go back to the same things that they grew up making, which is fine every once in awhile, but it’s about teaching them and their children how to live a healthier lifestyle,” Whalen explains.

Examples of healthy meals that Whalen helped plan include chicken pasta primavera, chicken stir fry, smoked pork chops with corn and okra, chicken asparagus crepes, turkey meatloaf, and chicken quesadillas.

Whalen especially appreciates her interactions with the children who live in the Sojourner House. In addition to biweekly visits to the house to help plan meals and improve overall nutrition, Whalen hosts a “study buddy” program on Tuesday nights, where she provides homework help to the kids who live there. The kids also participate in “Dream Seeds,” an arts enrichment program that has activities, including drumming and tap dancing. She says that talking and interacting with the children has given her a new perspective on Rochester outside of the microcosm of the River Campus.

“It’s eye-opening to interact with a different socioeconomic group. It helps me to understand Rochester more as a community,” Whalen explains. “There are two little girls that told me they aren’t allowed to play outside because there’s a criminal who lives on their street. Sojourner House is a place to go to feel safe and to do fun activities.”

A native of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Whalen pursued this opportunity after hearing about it through Alpha Phi Omega and was in charge of finding her own project and contacts. Whalen posts monthly reflections on Blackboard so that RCCL staff can monitor her progress and make sure she stays on track.  She remains focused on maintaining a nutrition program and committed to helping the residents of the Sojourner House in any way that she can.

This article is part one of a series that will feature the Meliora Leaders of 2012-2013. Undergraduates interested in participating in the program should look for information on the RCCL page in Spring 2013. Information about the program can be found on the RCCL page at http://rochester.edu/college/rccl/meliora.html.

On Friday, Nov. 16, students from the Dare to Dance outreach program lit up the stage at “Shake It Out,” the Ballet Performance Group’s annual fall show. Opening after intermission, the children, second and third grade students at Francis Parker School No. 23, performed a simple routine to “Good Time” by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen. The children’s energy radiated to the audience, resulting in an enthusiastic round of applause.

“The kids were just so cute.  Everyone in the audience loved their performance. I kept hearing rave reviews. The audience members couldn’t stop talking about how wonderful they were,” said junior Alyson Manning.

The Dare to Dance outreach program began in fall 2011, when BPG was looking to branch out and get involved within the Rochester community. The purpose of the program is to provide after school instruction in dance and creative movement. The program met weekly on Friday afternoons for eight weeks of instruction. This year, students were exposed to a variety of dance styles including ballet, jazz, contemporary, and creative movement. With 20 students participating in the program, things could get a little hectic sometimes, according to junior Lauren Sava.

“As much as I enjoyed working with the children, there were definitely challenges. Second and third graders can be very rambunctious, so finding constructive ways for the students to release their energy requires a lot of creative thinking,” said Sava.

Despite these challenges, the program was extremely rewarding for students. According to junior Marissa Abbott, students greeted her with bountiful energy and bubbling smiles every Friday afternoon. Abbott, who is a member of the executive board for BPG and serves as the Outreach Coordinator, is in charge of coordinating the Dare to Dance program. Along with a committee of five to six members, Abbott prepared lesson plans for each week, coordinated with the school staff and parents, and choreographed a routine for the students to perform in BPG’s fall show.

“I am so proud of these kids. They exceeded my expectations, bringing bright smiles and incredible energy to the stage, while remembering their routine very well,” said Abbott.  “This was an incredible experience, from which I learned a lot. To see the kids up on stage having a good time, that’s all that really matters to me. I’m glad that BPG is able to provide this program and that we can share our love for dance with the Rochester community. I can’t wait until next semester.”

Last month, 16 new students were accepted into Compass to Personal Success (CPS), a three year leadership development program for Rochester undergraduates coordinated by the Rochester Center for Community Leadership (RCCL).

The program is founded in the Social Change Model of Leadership, which empowers students as agents of positive social change by engaging them in community service, leadership, and civic engagement opportunities. The CPS program emphasizes experiential learning and personal development as a means to enhance leadership skills and capabilities.

During their three years in the program, students will participate in workshops, engage in peer-to-peer mentoring, reflect formally on their participation in leadership activities, coordinate and complete a service project, internship, or on campus program, and more. From these activities, the CPS program will support these students in discovering their purpose and passion, increasing their self-efficacy, reflecting on and celebrating their community and creating meaningful connections within it.

The students accepted into this year’s program are:

Naba Ali ’15

Gabrielle Ansani ’15

Alena Comella ’16

Robert Dowd ’15

Joo (Jenny) Hee ’16

Meng Huang ’15

Suparerk (Joe) Kamaranon ’15

Yunjie (Kelly) Liang ’15

Samantha Lish ’16

Mark Mullock ’15

Matthew Ning ’15

Angela Remus ’16

Ruben Anthony Salazar ’16

Wayne Wu ’16

Ni Zheng ’15

Huiqi Zhong ’14

To learn more about the program, visit CPS’s website or email Molly Sarubbi at msarubbi@admin.rochester.edu.

Members of the University of Rochester’s Varsity Women’s Soccer team spent the morning of Saturday, Sept. 29, sharing their knowledge of the sport with more than 90 young girls from around Rochester during the Girls Rule Soccer Clinic.  Designed to empower young girls and get them excited about playing soccer, the free event brought girls of varying levels of soccer experience to Fauver Stadium for a morning of shooting, passing, and juggling.

After they practiced a variety of drills, members of the women’s team coached participants as they put their new found skills to the test during mini scrimmages. Campus tours were offered after the clinic and participants were encouraged to return to campus in the afternoon to cheer on the varsity squad as they played Brandeis University in their first University Athletic Association game of the season.

The clinic was created by members of Grassroot Rochester, a student-driven initiative at the University’s School of Medicine and Dentistry that is committed to empowering and educating young people through participation in organized sports. Last spring, Grassroot Rochester member and third-year medical student Michael Barnes connected with student-athletes on the varsity soccer team, and Deon Rodgers, president of River Flow Soccer Club, to plan the first clinic. It drew nearly 35 girls from school districts across the area, including the Rochester City School District and Brighton Central School District. Barnes says the group intends to make the soccer clinics a sustainable effort that can be offered throughout the year, creating more opportunities for girls to play soccer.

Additional sponsors include the Department of Community & Preventative Medicine at URMC, which encourages medical school students to engage in community service activities, the undergraduate Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, MVP Healthcare, and the Athletics Department. To see more pictures from the camp, visit Grassroot Rochester on Facebook.

Article written by Melissa Greco Lopes, editor of The Buzz and student life publicist in University Communications. Photos courtesy of Michael Barnes, Grassroot Rochester.

This Friday, members of UR Habitat for Humanity will host their second annual Shack-A-Thon, spending a cold night outside of Wilson Commons in makeshift shacks created out of nothing but cardboard boxes and duck tape.

Shack-A-Thon is designed to promote awareness for the club and the widespread issue of homelessness. The event also serves as a fundraiser for Habitat’s Alternative Spring Break, where students travel to a different state to assist with a build in that area for the week.

Last year Shack-A-Thon’s roughly 50 participants raised more than $800, giving members the opportunity to travel to Goldsboro, N.C. where they stayed at a local church. While in Goldsboro, they built a shed, helped put up siding, and painted the house.

UR Habitat for Humanity shares Habitat International’s mission of eliminating poverty and homelessness worldwide through an active and conscious process for people to attain decent shelters. Through their affiliation with Flower City Habitat for Humanity, the University’s chapter participates in six local builds per year, helping to provide quality, safe, and affordable housing for Rochester natives in need. During the year, the chapter raises funds for builds, educates others about housing issues, volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House, and helps sort donated food at Foodlink.

This year, organizers would like to see even more funds raised through a greater number of participants in Shack-A-Thon, which begins at 5 p.m. Registration, which is $20 for teams of up to 8 people, includes six boxes and duct tape for building a shack, dinner, breakfast and coffee the next morning. Additional boxes cost $5 each and for every five boxes purchased the sixth box is free. Each team is required to keep at least one person in their shack at all times during the event, with the exception of viewing performances and speakers. Activities include board games, tie dye, and access to performances by the Yellowjackets, Midnight Ramblers, Louvre, and more!  This fun, philanthropic event is co-sponsored by UR Habitat for Humanity, WRUR, and the Recreational Ski and Snowboard Club.

In addition to Shack-A-Thon, there are several other ways students can contribute to UR Habitat, including donating money via cash, flex, credit, or check in Wilson Commons at their table. Through Monday, Oct. 1, UR’s chapter of Habitat also is participating in Barnes and Noble’s “Build a Future Challenge” on Facebook. Head to the University’s Barnes and Noble Facebook page and write a comment about Habitat, or like or share their challenge. The campus chapter that gets the most points wins a $1,000 donation.

Article written by Alayna Callanan ’14, an intern with University Communications.

In the Photo: Shack-A-Thon 2011 winners Casey Gould ’14 and Aaron Rusheen ’14 pose in their house.

“The Urban Fellows is a 10 week fellowship that places students in community organizations with the goal of not only educating them about urban issues but also figuring out ways that they can be agents of change,” said Jenna Dell, assistant director of the RCCL and director of the Urban Fellows Program.

With fellowships in area non-profits and civic organizations focused on urban education, crime and justice, access to food, housing, and community arts in addition to weekly seminar discussions, students will develop an understanding of the city of Rochester that goes beyond abstract discussion. Junior Jonathan Johnson, a political science and anthropology major and current Urban Fellow, looks forward to the opportunity to actively engage with the issues covered in the program.

“There is a vast difference between reading about an adventure in a book and actually going on the adventure. The Urban Fellows Program supplements the theoretical knowledge I have, and that drive, with the frustrations and the challenges of going into a community and learning hands-on,” said Johnson.

This year’s Urban Fellows are placed in a variety of organizations in Rochester: Writers and Books, the Legal Aid Society of Rochester, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, the Southeast Neighborhood Service Center, and Flower City Habitat for Humanity, to name a few. Johnson will spend his summer at Community Place, an organization that provides social services and programming for the Northeast quadrant of Rochester.

“My focus is on youth ages two to 10 in conjunction with their parents through the SEEDS program (Strengthening, Eating and Exercising Daily Successfully). We try and promote activities that encourage families to work together and to learn about nutrition, education, and health in a holistic way,” said Johnson. Throughout the fellowship, Johnson will work with Community Place planning, organizing, and assisting with youth development programs.

“We sponsor programs like Urban Farming where community members can receive free fruits and vegetables as well as learn to grow their own. We also sponsor other initiatives from mountain biking programs to walking clubs to free cooking classes,” said Johnson.

Junior Jordan Shapiro, a history and international relations major, will complete her Urban Fellowship with the Genesee Land Trust and Project Hope.

“I am very interested in sustainability as well as land preservation and protecting the earth, so I have been interested in a lot of the projects the Genesee Land Trust is doing,” said Shapiro.

During her fellowship, Shapiro will be specifically working to encourage citizen use of a park on the corner of Clifford Avenue and Conkey Avenue, built by Project Hope.

“We’re trying to boost the neighborhood and get people to feel like the park is really theirs,” said Shapiro. “There’s going to be a camp with a landscape apprentice program, as well as an after school program for kids in the neighborhood.”

Shapiro hopes the Urban Fellows program will prepare her for a potential career in civil rights law.

“I think the Urban Fellows Program is really beneficial for students because it gives you the opportunity to be forced out of your comfort zone. One of the things that I hope to improve is my ability to communicate with all different types of people,” said Shapiro.

As director of the Urban Fellows program, Dell strives to build a lasting connection between students and the city of Rochester.

“The broader goal is to have students continue being involved with their communities in some way,” said Dell. “We were intentional this year in recruiting underclassmen for Urban Fellows in the hope that this would be a formative experience for them and they would continue it throughout their college career.”

Now several weeks into the program, this year’s Urban Fellows are beginning to appreciate the unique opportunity they will have this summer.

“At the University of Rochester, we are a sphere of very intellectual, very driven, and very motivated individuals who have a variety of interests. It can be very challenging when you’re situated at the University to connect with the community. The Urban Fellows program is not only necessary, but essential to actually developing a relationship between the University and the Rochester community, as well as helping students understand that relationship and why it is so important,” said Johnson.

Article written by Erica Messner ’12(T5), an intern in University Communications. Messner, who majored in political science and music, was a member of the Urban Fellows Class of 2010 and also served as an Election Fellow, also a RCCL program.

Photo: Urban Fellows Jonathan Johnson, a University of Rochester student, and Alaura Daniels, a Nazareth College student, participate in a discussion during an Urban Housing seminar at the Charles Settlement House in Northwest Rochester. Photo courtesy of Erica Messner.

For the 2012-2013 academic year, 10 UR students will be selected as the inaugural participants in the Meliora Leaders program. The RCCL is currently accepting applications for the program, which are due Monday, April 23, 2012.

Students selected for the program will be eligible to receive a scholarship worth $2,350 toward their educational expenses at the University. In order to receive this education award, students will have to complete a service project in the Rochester community, logging at least 300 hours of service. A portion of these hours will include in-depth training in leadership and civic engagement.

Program Benefits:

• An education award of $1,175 will be provided by the U.S. Corporation for National and Community Service through New York Campus Compact. This award will be matched by the UR Financial Aid Office, yielding a total benefit to each UR student of $2,350.
• In-depth training in civic engagement and leadership.
• Regular supervision by a member of the host organization where the service is performed.
• Regular advisement by faculty or staff in the College (at least once per month).
• Recognition by University and community.

Program Requirements:

• Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• Students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing.
• Students must complete 300 hours of service during the 2012-2013 academic year.
• Students must attend a program orientation and at least two program meetings.
• Students attend at least eight training events for leadership and civic engagement during the year.
• Students meet with a faculty or staff adviser at least once a month.
• Students post monthly reflections on Blackboard (my.rochester.edu)

Program Guidelines:

• Preference will be given to students who have already participated in leadership training, such as the Paychex Leadership Institute, Compass to Personal Success, or the Rochester Urban Fellows program, and to students who have already demonstrated a noteworthy commitment to community service.
• Proposed service projects should meet needs identified by the community, and should yield measurable results.
• Proposed service projects should be predominantly focused on direct service (providing service directly to those in need), but may also include some indirect service components (expanding the capacity of an organization to provide services through research, fundraising, publicity, etc.).
• Preference will be given to service projects in the areas of job development and placement, or after-school programs.
• Preference will be given to projects that promise to involve other students in the community, in addition to the Meliora Leader.

Application Process:

Interested students should submit a cover letter, resume, official transcript, and two letters of recommendation to the Rochester Center for Community Leadership by April 23, 2012.

Rochester Center for Community Leadership

Wilson Commons 500

CPU Box 270443

University of Rochester

Rochester, NY 14627-0443

The cover letter should be not more than three pages in length, and should address the following points:

• What has prepared you to make a sustained, intensive commitment to service in the Rochester community? Be sure to highlight any prior leadership training, and any noteworthy community service efforts.
• Why are you confident that you will be able to manage the time commitment necessary to satisfy the service requirement for the Meliora Leaders program?
• What community-based project do you propose to undertake through your service as a Meliora Leader?
• What community need(s) will be met by the proposed project?
• What are the anticipated outcomes of this service project?
• How will the outcomes be measured (e.g. number of youth tutored)?
• How might you engage other students in the community through your service?

Letters of recommendation:

1. One letter should be from a staff member at the community organization where you propose to complete your service, and should document his or her commitment to supervise your service project throughout the coming academic year.

2. One letter should be from a faculty or staff member in the College who can attest to your capacity to undertake the proposed project, based on your past academic performance and your co-curricular pursuits. This letter should document that the recommender is committed to advising you throughout the course of your service as a Meliora Leader. This includes meeting with you at least once a month during the academic year to discuss your service.

Students are invited and encouraged to consult with staff in the RCCL to answer any questions about this opportunity. Please email community.leadership@rochester.edu, call 275-4085, or visit http://www.rochester.edu/college/rccl/meliora for more information.

Article and photo courtesy of the Rochester Center for Community Leadership.

Through the group’s two main branches, Project REACH and Project CARE, undergraduates involved in PiR spend the academic year visiting School No. 33 and No. 19 on a weekly basis, tutoring and mentoring students in kindergarten through sixth grade,.

Project REACH volunteers head to School No. 33 and are assigned and committed to one classroom each semester. During the year, PiR members offer assistance to teachers, provide individual tutoring, or facilitate group activities for the kids. Project CARE, the newest addition of PiR, has a partnership with School No. 19 and focuses on children grades K-2 and 5-7. PiR members provide individual tutoring for students two hours a week, often on multiple subjects. Through both branches, the end result is the same: students build long-term relationships with teachers and children and work to establish themselves as positive role models for the kids in their classroom.

Each spring, as the year comes to a close, members of PiR invite the school’s sixth graders to the River Campus for the College Counts program, which aims to give students a taste of college life.

Beginning with a tour of the River Campus, students spent the day meeting with undergraduates and professors. The sixth graders met with Thomas R. Krugh, professor of chemistry, who conducted a variety of demonstrations that explained different science concepts. Activities also included lunch at Danforth Dining Hall and performances by a cappella group the Midnight Ramblers and dance group UR Bhangra.

The event was sponsored by Partners in Reading, the Community Service Network, and the Rochester Center for Community Leadership.

Article written by Melissa Greco Lopes, editor of The Buzz and student life publicist in University Communications.

Photo courtesy of Maya Dukmasova.