Spring Branch ISD Featured News

 

After 18 years, the longest running chapter of the Collegiate Challenge mentor program in Spring Branch ISD is still going strong at Northbrook High School.

The program targets juniors and seniors in the top quartiles of their classes who seek mentors’ assistance with the college and financial aid application process. All high schools in SBISD now also have Collegiate Challenge programs in place.

In 2000, Northbrook High School senior counselor Pat Waldrop asked her church, Chapelwood United Methodist, to provide mentors to help her get a group of promising students into and off to college.

The church's current and continuing efforts include recruiting a group of about two dozen dedicated mentors who meet as a group with Collegiate Challenge senior mentees one evening per week during the school year. Chapelwood also provides scholarship opportunities and a celebration dinner for the students and their families.

On a recent Monday evening, mentor coordinator Patty Cordrey greeted NHS Collegiate Challenge mentors and mentees. The retired SBISD counselor prepped the group to begin working on “do’s and don’ts” once they arrived at their computer stations.

“Don’t leave any [application] fee waivers on the table,” she said. “Even if you think you are only going to apply to one college, there are other fee waivers available. Why not apply to more schools, so you can see which one will give you the best financial aid package?”

Historically, students in the NHS Collegiate Challenge program receive more than 150 college acceptances per year and have earned an average of $887,500 in scholarship awards during the past four years.

“These kids are all rock stars,” said Cordrey. “The mentors give the students the confidence to know it’s a real thing [going to college] they can achieve. We put legs under the students’ hopes.”

Program mentors include two former NHS Collegiate Challenge mentees, who recently married each other last summer. Ruben Espinoza (NHS class of 2010), now a teacher at NHS, was mentored by Malory Shaddix who followed his progress through University of Houston.

“He majored in math and got through four years of college with no debt!” said Shaddix.

Sheila Espinoza (NHS class of 2012) attended University of Texas and majored in social work. She currently works as a customer relations specialist with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

John Grubbs has been a Collegiate Challenge mentor for 17 of the 18 years of the program’s run at Northbrook High School. The retired engineer has mentored more than 30 students with phenomenal success in securing college with little or no debt for his mentees.

When asked about his mentoring success, Grubbs’ modest reply is simple: “I have been assigned some good kids.”

One of Grubbs' current mentees, Alvaro, is a first-generation college student in his family. His younger brothers look to him to blaze the trail to college, so each will know what to do when it is his turn.

“I have submitted two college applications so far,” said Alvaro. “This program really helps, because it is designed to help me do what I need to do to get to college.” He is interested in pursuing a degree in animation or 3D modeling.

Another college-bound student, Wendy, is interested in becoming a teacher, possibly in fine arts. She has submitted five college applications with the help of her mentor, Mary Kay Moen.

“I was interested in being part of this program, because I had helped my own kids with the college application process, so I kind of knew what to do,” said Moen. “This evening we are making sure they [her two mentees] are on top of all things—FAFSA, setting up passwords and making sure the universities have received all the required documents."

The process of applying, getting into and paying for college IS a challenge, and these students are so grateful to have wise adults in their corner, encouraging them and keeping them on track.

“Do not procrastinate, and listen to your mentor!” is NHS mentee Diana's advice to students considering participation in the Collegiate Challenge program.

Diana’s mentor, Ann Johnson, was asked about her mentee’s progress toward her goals. “Yes! We got applications submitted! Yes! We got the FAFSA submitted!” said Johnson.

She and her husband have mentored in the program for three years and stay in touch with some of their former mentees.

“It is awesome to watch them get in [to college] and have success,” said Johnson. “That’s special.”

Cordrey also keeps up with several of her former mentees.

“One is in divinity school in North Carolina, another is a chef in New York City,” she said. “We [Collegiate Challenge mentors] get to watch miracles unfold.”

If you would like to be a Collegiate Challenge mentor at one of the SBISD high schools, please contact Pat Waldrop, 713-251-2302.