ESU adopts Wichita magnet school classroom

Corky the Hornet and an entourage of faculty and staff helped welcome students and their parents to a classroom ESU has “adopted” at Tuesday’s dedication of the new Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet School in Wichita.

A committee of the school’s teachers and administrators invited ESU and other Kansas colleges and universities to sponsor a classroom at the school, decorating the walls with school posters and visiting the classes to talk about the value of academic success.

“As a staff, we are frustrated watching and learning of our students’ high drop out rates in feeder high schools and of their rare attendance in higher education post high school,” said committee chair Jodi MacArthur. “We feel there is a need to give a message to our community that higher education is not just a dream, but a real possibility.”

With a school population of 80 percent Hispanic students, Horace Mann Magnet School serves students in grades kindergarten through eight with a bilingual curriculum designed to reinforce cultural traditions and high academic standards.

“We’re stressing to students to think about college, and work toward academic scholarships. You hear a lot about athletic scholarships, but we want our students to understand that you can get scholarships for being good students too,” said language arts teacher Mona Baumgardner. “It’s great that the universities have taken such an interest in our students.”

“It’s particularly important to plant a seed early on that you can indeed graduate and go on to college, and have a successful career beyond college,” said ESU associate vice president for student life Robert Grover.

The message seems to be sinking for some students. “When you go to college and get your degree, you can learn to be a teacher, a scientist or anything you want. But you have to get ready, study hard and do your homework,” said fourth grader Gabriella Padilla.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>