February 18, 2000

Bowlibg Green, Ky. -- A summer enrichment program at Western Kentucky University is helping at-risk students reach a higher level of academic achievement.

Last fall, 36 students attended either Western or Henderson Community College thanks to Project Early Start. The two-week program focused on writing, math and computer skills and helped those students correct academic deficiencies, said Luther Hughes, associate vice president of Academic Affairs for Enrollment Management.

Based on testing and fall semester grades, "we are just really encouraged that we can make a difference in those somewhat at-risk students by providing them with a fairly short period of enrichment," Dr. Hughes said.

The program was funded last summer with grants from GTE and the Raymond B. Preston Foundation. This summer, Project Early Start will be totally sponsored by the Preston Foundation, which set up an endowment for its continuation. About 25 students will participate this summer.

Preston, a 1940 WKU graduate from Henderson, has funded several projects to assist students. His grant for Project Early Start requests that students be selected from high schools in Henderson, Union and Webster counties.

"He was interested in assisting students who maybe had the potential to be excellent students but who may have had some small deficiency in one particular area," Dr. Hughes said. Without Project Early Start, some students may not have continued their educations, he said.

Preston said he hopes the program can become a model that spreads statewide and encourages more students to attend college. "I think it's a wonderful opportunity to serve young people who may get lost in the cracks," he said.

If those students can receive encouragement and an academic boost, their chances for success will be greatly improved, Preston said. "I'm real excited about the possibilities of it," he said.

Western will track the students' progress and will provide encouragement during their college careers, Dr. Hughes said. The 1999 class "did quite well grade-wise in the fall semester," he said.

"We are just very encouraged by the responses they've given us," Dr. Hughes said. "We believe that is part our direction for the entire state of Kentucky to reach out and give access to all those students with potential."

Project Early Start may prove to be a pilot program for the state, he said. Kentucky may mandate students score higher on college entrance exams or receive development or enrichment courses after their first semester in college, he said.

"We believe we've demonstrated we know how to take care of those kinds of issues" to enrich students in specific areas, Dr. Hughes said.

The success of those students and the success of the program will encourage other students, he said.

"Western is interested in a variety of students and taking them at the level they are and enhancing and improving their level of understanding in whatever area they might be interested in," Dr. Hughes said.