Lt. Gov. Loren Leman, a graduate of Ninilchik High School, was on hand to help launch the two-week program. Growing up in a commercial fishing family helped him develop principles of hard work, Leman told the students.
"What I learned is that fish don't wait while you take days off," he said. "The same can be said for school. You have to apply the same work ethic."
"I want to thank the parents," Leman said, acknowledging the role parents play in students' education. "Parents are a large part of your educational success. ... Even more important are students," he said, bringing the attention back to the 54 high school sophomores and freshmen enrolled in the institute.
Encouraging them to work toward their dreams, Leman added, "When you graduate from high school and college, you add value to yourselves. You add value to your communities. ... I'm proud of you."
Heather Pancratz, executive director for Project GRAD Kenai Peninsula, also was on hand to welcome the students, as was Sam Stewart, assistant superintendent of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Stephanie Smith with Project GRAD USA, Carol Swartz, director of the Kachemak Bay Campus, Kenai Peninsula College, and Bob Moore, chairman of Project GRAD Kenai Peninsula.
"You are the symbol of the success of this program," Swartz told the students. "Give yourselves a pat on the back for making this commitment to your future and your communities' futures."
James Ketelsen, CEO and Chairman of Tenneco in 1988, began Project GRAD in Houston, Texas. Tenneco initially funded a four-year college scholarship program with a goal of having at least 40 percent of ninth graders in that city's lowest-performing high school enroll in college.
Project GRAD now reaches more than 131,800 students, has spread to states other than Texas, and partnered with seven schools in the Kenai Peninsula in 2003 — Nanwalek, Nikolaevsk, Ninilchik, Port Graham, Razdolna, Tyonek and Voznesenka. According to Smith, some 4,000 students across the country are involved in a summer program similar to the Kenai Peninsula institute.
Part of the program's value, Moore told the students, is its cross-cultural exchange. Illustrating Moore's point, students wore clothing bearing the name of their village and some students wore traditional Old Believer dress. "Native pride" was printed on the back of one student's cap.
"If you haven't picked up on the clues yet, this is about a team," Moore said.
"As you go through the next two weeks, learn from each other. Each of you has a gift to give someone else. ... Take advantage of the instruction, but capitalize on the richness of (your peers)." he said.
Project GRAD's summer institute also is sponsored by Marathon Oil, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, the Kachemak Bay Campus, the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies and Homer Boys and Girls Club.
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
School buses were back in action on Monday, transporting students from schools in Ninilchik, Nikolaevsk and Voznesenka to a summer institute organized by Project GRAD. Also attending are students from Port Graham and Nanwalek, communities on the south side of Kachemak Bay.
Goals for the two-week program include strengthening high school academics and demystifying the college experience. Held at Kachemak Bay Campus, Kenai Peninsula College, six KPC professors are teaching math, critical thinking and writing skills, study skills and SAT preparation, with Project GRAD staff ensuring things run smoothly.
For attending the two-week program, students receive a stipend of $150 and they will have completed one step toward qualifying for a Project GRAD scholarship of $1,000 a year for four years of higher education.
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