2011-2012 T H E R E N A I S S A N C E E D U C A T I O N G R O U P , I N C . VOL. 3, ISSUE 5

Renaissance scholars have completed yet another semester of school and are well on their way to completing high school. Our Seniors are steadily receiving acceptance letters to colleges of their choice while their parents are asking how they will

pay for their child’s education.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) ensures that all eligible individuals benefit from federally funded financial assistance for education beyond high school. Many schools have deadlines in early February for submitting the FAFSA, so to

get as much money as possible, submit the application as soon after January 1st as possible. Below is a checklist to keep you on track:

• Parents are encouraged to complete their income tax early. If they have not

completed their tax forms, estimates can be provided on the FAFSA (but be sure to make any necessary changes later)

• As soon after Jan. 1st as possible, complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov (not

fafsa.com!)

• You should receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) within three days to three weeks which summarizes the information you provided and either supplies you

with the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or requests additional information. Quickly make any necessary corrections and submit them to the FAFSA processor.

• Contact your college’s Financial Aid office if you have any questions

We know this process can be tedious, so if you need additional help, feel free to contact

your Upward Bound or Talent Search Academic Coordinator.

It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year: Financial Aid

SEASON’S GREETINGS FROM RENAISSANCE!

PCU NEWS & VIEWSOFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PRE-COLLEGE SERVICES UNIT

What’s Inside?

• College Access Corner

• Fee Waivers

• Scholarships

• TRIO Quest

• 2012 ACT/SAT Test

Dates

• Student Spotlight

• A Season of Giving

• Upcoming Events

• What’s Happening at

HQ?

• Staff Spotlight

Like us on Facebook

The Renaissance Experience

Follow us on Twitter

@RenTweets

The

Renaissance

Experience

T h e S p r i n g College tour is April 10 - 13, 2012 to Ohio.

Remember, not ALL students are able to attend. S tuden ts mus t E A R N t h e privilege to take part in col lege tours.

E l i g i b i l i t y requirements will be conveyed to R e n a i s s a n c e Scholars in the spring semester.

University of Dayton

Wright State University

Central State University

Wilberforce University

T h e S p r i n g College tour is April 10 - 13, 2012 to Ohio.

Remember, not ALL students are able to attend. S tuden ts mus t E A R N t h e privilege to take part in col lege tours.

E l i g i b i l i t y requirements will be conveyed to R e n a i s s a n c e Scholars in the spring semester.

Tuition

$28,690

Size

5,000-10,000

Tuition

$14,325

Size

+10,000

Tuition

$11,806

Size

2,000-5,000

Tuition

$12,470

Size

Under 2,000

T h e S p r i n g College tour is April 10 - 13, 2012 to Ohio.

Remember, not ALL students are able to attend. S tuden ts mus t E A R N t h e privilege to take part in col lege tours.

E l i g i b i l i t y requirements will be conveyed to R e n a i s s a n c e Scholars in the spring semester.

Selectivity

Selective

Athletics

No

Selectivity

Open Admissions

Athletics

No

Selectivity

Highly selective

Athletics

Yes

Selectivity

Highly selective

Athletics

Yes

T h e S p r i n g College tour is April 10 - 13, 2012 to Ohio.

Remember, not ALL students are able to attend. S tuden ts mus t E A R N t h e privilege to take part in col lege tours.

E l i g i b i l i t y requirements will be conveyed to R e n a i s s a n c e Scholars in the spring semester.

Students receiving aid

99%

Application Fee

$50

Students receiving aid

87%

Application Fee

$30

Students receiving aid

97%

Application Fee

$20

Students receiving aid

100%

Application Fee

$25

Fee WaiversATTENTION JUNIORS AND SENIORS! As college draws near, you will be required to dish out money for college admission tests, applications, and other college materials. Let Renaissance help YOU. Eligible participants are able to receive waivers for ACT/SAT tests and college admissions applications. If you want a waiver from Renaissance, you must:

• Be a Junior or Senior• Turn in all current year release forms• Attend a Renaissance ACT Simulation in the current year

Remember, the more times you take a test, the more comfortable you are with it. Let us pick up the tab for some of your college entrance needs!

College Access CornerEach activity sponsored by Renaissance is meant to place our students one step closer to college. Through career exploration, ACT preparation, college tours, and Integrity Day, students acquire the skills and resources to finish high school and prepare for entrance into college. In the 2012 Spring College Tour, students will tour universities in Ohio to gain perspective about schools outside of North Carolina. Below is a snapshot of the universities students we will visit.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Visit the Renaissance website

to view scholarships that you

may be eligible for at http://

www.rena issance-ed.ne t /

dollars4scholars.htm.

Here are a few samples:

1. Do Something Healthy

School Scholarship

2. Olive Garden’s Pasta Tales

Essay Contest

3. Letters About Literature

4. KFC Colonel’s Scholars

Be sure to check for

deadlines!

Renaissance UB scholars were recognized as Quarterfinalist in the 2011 TRIO Quest Competition? During the six-week residential summer program students in Mr. Rasheed’s UB summer technology class hit the campus of NCCU. Loaded in the Renaissance van and armed with several digital cameras and a Flip video camera, they were in search of intriguing photos and relevant videos to compete in the national TRIO Quest competition. Over 600 entries were received in the three competitive areas. Those areas are: • DigiMedia — Teaches students how

to use multimedia for creative purposes, to present information, and/or to support the presentation of research by creating a short video.

• DigiSites — Students work to create high quality, innovative and content-rich educational web sites that meet high standards of intellectual honesty.

• DigiText — Introduces students to the compelling interaction possible between text and images and encourages research, reflection, and creative expression.

(Source: http://depts.washington.edu/trio/trioquest/)

Congratulations to the Renaissance S c h o l a r s w h o s e p r o j e c t s w e r e recognized as quarterfinalists. Your determination and hard work is celebrated by the entire Renaissance family.

TRIO Quest Renaissance Scholars Place in National Contest

PROFESSIONAL BALL CAREERS

DigiSites QuarterfinalistsProject Name: Places We Call HomeTeam Members: Zana Johnson, Brendan Wheller, Dwanuika Moss, Fantasia Bridgers, and Constance FarringtonLink to project: https://sites.google.com/site/placeswecallhome/ Project Name: Helping You RecycleTeam Members: Clayton Barnes, Destini Jones, Donte' Johnson, and Jayla Royster Link to project: https://sites.google.com/site/helpingyourecycle/

DigiMedia QuarterfinalistsProject Name: Places We Call Home (Living While Homeless)Team Members: Dyamund Corley, Ebony Belser, Ellana Brown, Breonna Chavis, and Jackson NdoyoLink to project: http://www.youtube.com/user/RenaissanceEdTV

• The average NFL career is 3.52 seasons; • The average age of retired NFL players is 28; • Within five years of leaving the league, 75% of NFL players end up broke, divorced or unemployed; • 65% of NFL players leave the game with permanent injuries; • At least 20% of players reading this are clinically depressed; • The average life expectancy for retired NFL players is 53-59 years.

Let’s talk statistics...

You can read this entire article at http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/09/08/nfl.life.after.the.game/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Remember, it’s okay to be a professional athlete, but what do you have to back it up? A college d e g r e e b r o a d e n s y o u r opportunities past athletic careers.

2012 TEST DATES2012 TEST DATES2012 TEST DATES2012 TEST DATES

ACTactstudent.org

ACTactstudent.org

SATcollegeboard.org

SATcollegeboard.org

Test Date Registration Deadline

Test Date Registration Deadline

Feb. 11, 2012 Jan. 13, 2012 Jan. 28, 2012 Dec. 30, 2011

Apr. 14, 2012 Mar. 9, 2012 Mar. 10, 2012 Feb. 10, 2012

June 9, 2012 May 4, 2012 May 5, 2012 Apr. 6, 2012

June 2, 2012 May 8, 2012

!

!

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Renaissance has a busy schedule approaching designed to give students a wide variety of services that will help them succeed in high school, enter, and succeed in college. Here is what we have going on for the next three months.

December• Holiday Social - 12�17�11

January • Parent Workshop, FAFSA - 1�5�12 (Durham) • Parent Workshop, FAFSA - 1�12�12 (Edgecombe) • Talent Search Integrity Day - Scholarships - 1�7�12• Talent Search Career Development Workshop - 1�7�12• Academic Advising - 1�9�12, 1�10�12, 1�11�12 (Durham)• Talent Search ACT Simulation - 1�14�12 • Academic Advising - 1�25�12, 1�26�12 (Edgecombe)• The George Washing STEM Symposium - 1�27�12 - 1�29�12

February• Saturday Session - 2�4�12• Parent Workshop, Non-Traditional Parent - 2�7�12

Upcoming Renaissance Events

Ellena has participated in the Upward Bound Program of The Renaissance Education Group, Inc. since she was a rising freshman. Rarely has she missed a Sa tu rday session and has participated in every summer session. She has sought and been elected to many leadership positions within the program. Ellena is a shining example of what a c o m m i t t e d s t u d e n t c a n achieve with Upward Bound.

As a graduating senior, Ellena has taken advantage of all of the special “senior sessions”. Because of this, and her own diligence, Ellena has already received acceptance letters from Campbell University and Lenoir-Rhyne University. We are sure that plenty more are on the way to her mailbox. E l lena Brown is a t rue Renaissance Scholar!

ELLENA BROWN

A Season of Giving

The holiday season is about loved

ones, happiness, and giving.

During this season of giving,

Renaissance Scholars brought

unwrapped gifts to the Holiday

Social (Dec. 17). All gift donations

were presented to the Durham

Rescue Mission, a non-profit

organization that provides

resources for the homeless and

addicted in central North Carolina.

To learn more about the

organization, visit their website at

www.durhamrescuemission.org.

What’s Happening at HQ?Just as the new school year started for our students, new things are also going on at Renaissance.

Talent Search Program

The goal of the Talent Search program is to:

1. Identify qualified youths with potential for education at the postsecondary level and encourage them to complete secondary school and undertake a program of postsecondary education,

2. Publicize the availability of, and facility the application for, student financial assistance, and

3. Encourage persons who have not completed education programs at the secondary or postsecondary level to enter or reenter and complete these programs.

“The Annual Edition”Yearbooks are a way for students

to remember activities, accomplishments, memorable moments, and lifelong friends. Renaissance wi l l be publ ishing a yearbook, “The Annual Edition”, so that you may be able to remember the amazing times you had at PCU activities, document the accomplishments you fulfilled, recall the wonderful moments of the year, and remember the lifelong friends you met along the way.

In order for “The Annual Edition” to be successful, Mr. Mathis will be establishing a yearbook committee. This committee will write the articles, take the pictures, and create the layout for “The Annual Edition.” Criteria to be on the committee include, but are not limited to, attendance, grades, writing ability, and grade level.ARE YOU INTERESTED? Call, email, or stop Mr. Mathis at the next event!

!

MR. MAURICE MATHIS

Please help us welcome Mr. Maurice Mathis to the Renaissance family. Mr. Mathis is the new Assistant Director for Pre-College Services and has been with the agency since August. Mr. Mathis received his bachelors degree in Communications and his masters degree in Organizational Communications. He has been with TRiO since 2007 and has worked with both Upward Bound and Talent Search. Mr. Mathis was born and raised in Kansas City, MO. As the Asst. Director, Mr. Mathis will work with Upward Bound, Talent Search, and 21st Century to ensure that all students have the proper resources to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

MS. FABRICE BLACKSON

Join us in giving a round of applause to our very own Ms. Fabrice Blackson as she is pursuing a masters degree in Human Development and Family Studies at NC State University. Ms. Blackson plans to complete her degree in the Fall of 2012. As you see Ms. Blackson, be sure to encourage her as she has encouraged you in the past years.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Staff Extension Email Address

Fabrice Blackson 21 fblackson@renaissance-ed.net

Patrick DuPree 22 pdupree@renaissance-ed.net

Luqman Rasheed 23 lrasheed@renaissance-ed.net

Dr. Kenneth Mitchell 25 kmitchell@renaissance-ed.net

Maurice Mathis 28 mmathis@renaissance-ed.net

Gerald Alston 31 galston@renaissance-ed.net

Natasha Patterson 32 npatterson@renaissance-ed.net

The

Renaissance

Experience

THE RENAISSANCE EDUCATION GROUP, INC.

The Organization

The Renaissance Education Group, Inc.

(Renaissance) is a youth-centered, social purpose, non-profit organization, created

in 2000 and incorporated in 2006. Our

mission is to provide educational programs and services to at-risk,

underserved, and disadvantaged youth,

their families, and organizations and

institutions that work with them.

Renaissance is an emerging organization

that focuses its energy, talent, and community resources towards our

vision to be “the educational resource

center of excellence.” The vision is in alignment with our governing values:

personal mastery, educational access,

leadership development, and resiliency.

Trenz Pruca4321 First StreetAnytown, State ZIP

The Renaissance Education Group, Inc.Pre-College Services Unit1058 W. Club Blvd.Office Area 6 - Suite 661Durham, NC 27701

Upward Bound

The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.

www.ed.gov

Talent Search

The goal of Talent Search is to identify, assist and encourage students to complete high school and attend the college of their choice.

www.ed.gov

For more information:

Parents and/or students interested in programs sponsored by The Renaissance Education Group, Inc. should contact the office directly by:Phone: 1-877-416-RENFax: 919-416-1729Email: PCU@renaissance-ed.net

The Upward Bound Programs of The Renaissance Education Group, Inc. are funded by grants from the US Department of Education. Grant Numbers: P047A0707916 / P047A070754.

The Talent Search Program of The Renaissance Education Group, Inc. is funded by a grant from the US Department of Education. Grant Numbers: P044A110768.