Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rotarians learn history, purpose of TRIO program

Stan Escalante, a Gurdon citizen and representative with the TRIO program was Rotaries guest speaker Thursday, March 20.

According to information passed out by Escalante, the TRIO began with the Upward Bound program, which emerged out of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 in response to the administration's War on Poverty.

One year later the Educational Talent Search began, and in 1968 the Student Support Services started. The combination of these three programs coined the name TRIO.

Escalante said, " I love my job. It doesn't really seem like a job to me since I enjoy it so much. We have had so many kids participate in the programs from Gurdon who have gone and made so much with their lives."

The Educational Talent Search Program identifies disadvantaged young people who have the desire and the potential for success in post-secondary education. ETS encourages participants to continue and graduate from secondary schools or to return to high school if they have dropped out. The goal of ETS is to have participants enroll in some form of post-secondary education.

Upward Bound attempts to generate skills and motivation necessary for success in education beyond high school. Participants are students currently enrolled in high school who meet the low income and/or potential first generation college student requirement and who are willing to prepare themselves for entry into post-secondary education.

Student Support Services provides support to disadvantaged college students to enhance their potential for successfully completing the education program in which they are enrolled and to facilitate their transition to the next level of higher education.

Escalante said there are several Gurdon graduates who have participated in some area of TRIO who are attending or have attended colleges in Arkansas.

However, some of these students go to colleges in Kansas, Virginian and Georgia.

One example is Camillia Cooper who is a senior at Norfolk State in Virginia. Cooper will soon be attending dental school.

April Simpson participated in the TRIO program and is now a TV news reporter for a station in Monroe-Russton, La.

Escalante said, "I wish we could serve more students. I made a promise when I accepted this job to take care of Gurdon and do as much as I can for our town."