CBO coach Bonnie talks about her experience as a Mentor :
College Bound Opportunities (CBO) is a not-for-profit organization centered in the five communities within Deerfield and Highland Park High School District 113. CBO identifies high-achieving young people who without support would likely forgo post-secondary education and assists them in applying to and completing college. CBO goals are achieved through a program of one-on-one coaching between volunteers and scholars. Additional aid provided by CBO includes tutoring, training services, laptop computers, and up to $4,000 per year in scholarships.
A group of individuals from the Deerfield/Highland Park area, aware of the obstacles facing low-income but high-achieving secondary students with college potential, founded CBO in 2006. These individuals recognized that financial support, while vital, is only one element of an array of services necessary to ensure a young person’s success in college and early career. The youngsters often need ongoing reinforcement while in high school and college and assistance in the work environment after graduation. Confident that adults in the community would volunteer in this important effort, the group developed a program based on the CBO Coaching Model.
The Scholar/Coach relationship is the backbone of CBO. Scholars report that coaching is the most valuable aspect of the CBO program, ranking above scholarship dollars.
Community volunteers, employed as well as retired adults, are screened by CBO and trained to address the particular needs of the young people in the CBO program. Over the course of a relationship, a coach will provide some or all of the following support: visits to colleges, assistance with college applications and financial aid applications, exposure to cultural experiences, meetings with family members, help in finding career-related summer jobs, and referrals to tutoring and job counseling services.
To qualify for the CBO program, a student must attend high school in District 113, must carry a 2.75 grade point average and must come from a family whose total income does not exceed $60,000. Although the District 113 communities of Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools are wealthy by most measures, over three hundred students enrolled in the schools live below the federal poverty level. The student must also submit a written application and participate in an interview with CBO volunteers and personnel. Scholars are selected on the basis of need and on CBO’s assessment of their desire to succeed in college.
CBO leaves little to chance in the college application process. With the support and endorsement of George Fornero, District 113 Superintendent, CBO has developed partnerships with ten colleges and universities in the Chicago region, all of whom have guaranteed acceptance and financial aid to qualified scholars identified by CBO. While CBO scholars will not be limited to these institutions, the agreements ensure that quality schools will be available and affordable to the young people in the program.
CBO’s goal is to provide every student in District 113 meeting its criteria with the opportunity to enter and graduate from college. Only two years old, CBO has already secured major commitments of financial and professional resources; created an organizational infrastructure; and, most importantly, has succeeded in identifying, placing, and mentoring a large number of scholars. The coaching model utilizing volunteers to motivate and support promising young people has proved to be effective and durable.
Peggy tell us how she became a CBO Mentor :
Although individuals and businesses from District 113 and surrounding areas have been generous in their contributions, CBO is continually seeking new sources for donations and volunteers to meet its financial and mentoring goals.
