First Day of Pre-College Program!

Today was our first day of Bonner Summer Fellows 2013 Pre-College Program! We’re so excited to have our 2013 summer fellows with us and we dove right into some great activities and discussions. Shortly after we said goodbye to the parents, we gathered everyone together and talked a little bit about the program and what everyone can expect. Then, we jumped right into some icebreakers, starting with  Send Me Your Champion, the Human Knot, and our own version of Rock, Paper, Scissors to get everyone laughing and joking around together.

After dinner, Britt & Maddy talked to the fellows for a little bit, and started off with going over everyone’s expectations, reservations, and what they are excited to experience. Many of the students shared similar fears about the classes and the work load, as it will be their first experience with college-level work. We will have homework sessions, study sessions, and many other resources in place to help the fellows navigate the new world of college class. Some students expressed nervousness about public speaking and giving a presentation at the end of the program. Maddy will be hosting a public speaking training later in the program to help prepare the fellows for their presentation and hopefully quell some of the nerves! Finally, some students talked about their reservations, as well as excitement about going into an entirely new environment and interacting with new people. For the most part, everyone is very excited to work closely with the kids in Trenton and get to know one another. Some of the fellows will be freshmen at TCNJ in the fall and are excited to get to know the campus better before moving in next month.

After the discussion about fears, expectations, and excitement, Britt & Maddy talked a little bit about Trenton and discussed some of the issues surrounding the education system in the city, which the fellows will be faced with during the service. After that the staff ran a group discussion on the book, Gang Leader for a Day, which all of the fellows had to read for their classes. The students had great insights into the book and shared personal experiences. For their paper, students had to compare their own home towns to Trenton and Robert Taylor Homes, a housing project in Chicago in which the book is based. The fellows had a great discussion with one another and all the staff were impressed by their abilities in analyzing the content of book and comparing it to their own lives.

Finally, the evening ended with the students meeting with their site teams and filling out a few surveys. After a long day, everyone is definitely ready for bed to rest up for a full day of service and class tomorrow!

- Bonner Staff