Seven students at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College have been selected to participate in the Near Peer Service learning program, which allows ABAC students to serve as mentors to Tift County High School (TCHS) students.

The seven ABAC students include Rosa Miranda, a sociology/rural studies major from Bainbridge; Melea Baldwin, an agribusiness and agricultural economics major from Hartwell; Melisa Carter, a family and consumer sciences education major from Ray City; Brooke Justice, a business administration major from Tifton; Brooke Moore, a nursing major from Atlanta; Margarita Moreno, a pre-nursing major from Moultrie; and Kristen Ray, a family and consumer sciences major from Alma.

“The hope is that high school students will be more receptive to hearing about the process of applying for college and the transition to college from peers closer to their own age,” said Darby Sewell, dean of the ABAC School of Human Sciences and project director of the Near Peer program.

ABAC and TCHS will work together on the Near Peer project from August to December. A special Blue Devil Block has been developed at TCHS that will involve the Near Peer mentors of ABAC, a group of TCHS students, one teacher from TCHS, and an ABAC instructor. The ABAC students will take an educational service learning class during the fall term. In the class, the mentors will become well versed with the application and financial aid processes, along with other important aspects of gaining entrance into college so they can help TCHS students with their applications.

The Blue Devil Block will focus on topics including how to select a college, expectations for college course work, and important information on applications and financial aid. Each Near Peer mentor will be matched up with two or three students based on common interests.

“The goal is for each TCHS student to apply for admission to a college at the end of this Blue Devil block,” said Sewell. “It would be wonderful if some of these first generation college students immediately received letters of acceptance. We plan to hold a recognition ceremony for the students at the completion of the class.”