From left, Franklin Community High School seniors Olivia Rickelman, Lilly Wilson and mentor Susan Crisafulli during a First Scholars mentorship meeting at the school Wednesday.
ANDY BELL-BALTACI | DAILY JOURNAL
At Franklin Community High School, 53 students have an opportunity to do what no one in their family has done before: go to college.
The First Scholars program, created by Franklin school board member Ryan Waggoner and run by the Franklin Education Connection, is in its sixth year. Students who are not seniors represent the bulk of the program with 21 representatives. Each student is paired with a mentor, who helps guide them through the college application and financial aid process, but some mentors go beyond what the position calls for, going on college visits with students and checking up on them outside of the monthly scheduled mentor time.
Jessica Huezca is one of those seniors. The child of immigrants from Peru and Mexico, she’s worked with mentor Tara Rucker since she was a freshman. The two went to Chicago to visit Northwestern University last summer. Although there is a lot of weight and expectation on her shoulders, Rucker has helped make the process more manageable, Huezca said.
“It’s kind of scary. My family are immigrants who came to the U.S. and didn’t even graduate high school. They love I’m doing this and they just want me to have a better opportunity,” she said.
Rucker has also seen Huezca develop since she first met her freshman year.
“When we first met, she was a lot shier. There was a lot of ‘I don’t know.’ She seems to feel a lot more confident,” Rucker said. “I give her ideas, like ‘if you want to do this, contact this company.’ I just give her ideas, I’m not putting her finger to the keyboard. It’s been helpful for me as I have a senior as well. It’s guided me on what to do. With information presented from FAFSA and college visits, I’ve learned to guide my kids as well.”
For others, like senior Anna Peyton, who plans to go to the U.S. Air Force Academy and study biomedical engineering, the mentor serves as someone to confide in.
“I think (it helps) having someone outside your family, having someone you can talk to on a personal level. Sometimes you can be too afraid to talk to a counselor who doesn’t know you personally. I consider her a friend who’s older,” Peyton said. “I had no one in my family to guide me through (the college application process), so it’s great to have someone guide you through it. Your mentor is just there for you.”
Shellee Pietras, Peyton’s mentor, finds the program empowering.
“My favorite thing is to mentor girls and women that you can do anything you want to do,” Pietras said. “I’ve helped kids through the years, and the most rewarding part is making sure people know they can excel. ‘Just go do it, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t.’”
Lilly Wilson, also a senior, has gone on tours of Butler University and Depauw University with her mentor, Susan Crisafulli, an English professor at Franklin College.
“My mentor is amazing, she’s really helped me prepare for college. She helped me prepare for the SAT and she’s a really nice person to talk to, so that’s pretty neat,” Wilson said. “I feel very valued to have someone like that.”
Along with helping her mentee through the college application process, Crisafulli said she’s gotten to know Wilson on a personal level.
“Sometimes you get pressure from parents and younger siblings. Everyone pins their hopes and dreams on you,” Crisafulli said. “I haven’t put a lot of pressure on (her) for college, but to get to know and care about (her) as a person is the most important thing.”
