Washington Campus Compact recently awarded Cascadia Community College an AmeriCorps grant to support college access and success programs. The grant provides for an AmeriCorps member whose primary role will be to lead Cascadia’s Kodiak Connection mentoring program.

This new program is part of Washington Campus Compact’s Retention Project, a college-based mentoring program that provides opportunities for students to succeed and thrive at the middle- and high-school level so that they can successfully enter and complete their college education.

Cascadia students will volunteer as mentors to students in the afterschool programs at Northshore and Kenmore junior-high schools. Mentors will help students with homework, talk about preparing to go to college and serve as positive role models.

“Our mentors will help give the students a clear understanding of what they need to do now and in the future to be successful,” says Assistant Director of Admissions and Retention Mike Renes. “This is about helping students in our community realize their potential. We want them to know that college is an attainable option and a goal they can work toward now.”