Students look up to Princeton mentors
By Jennifer Greenstein Altmann
Princeton NJ -- New to the Princeton Prep program this
summer were four enthusiastic Princeton undergraduates who
share an interest in exploring careers in teaching. The
teaching assistants, as they were known, "added a layer to
the program that was sorely missing," said Richard Carter,
who runs the program. "Plus, they had so much initiative and
energy."
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Teaching assistant Brandon
Nicholson '05 (center) helps high school students
Jerell Blakeley and Jamie Sparano (right) complete
a scavenger hunt in Firestone Library, one of the
many learning experiences in this summer's
Princeton University Preparatory Program. The other
teaching assistants were Rebecca Canate '04, Muoyo
Okome '05 and Brandon Paige '04.
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By serving as role models who were only a few years older
than the students themselves, the teaching assistants acted
as mentors, friends and basketball opponents for the
youngsters. "We hit it off right away (with the students),"
said Brandon Nicholson '05. "We just started talking, and
most of them opened up."
One period a day was set aside for the teaching
assistants, who worked with the students on special projects
such as a yearbook and a newsletter that will appear during
the school year. "They came up with all kinds of cool ideas
for us," said student Rafael Torres. The teaching assistants
also went over some basics about applying to college, such
as when to take the SATs, because many of the youngsters had
not been exposed much to the college process.
Their most ambitious undertaking involved giving
disposable cameras to each student to capture their
neighborhoods, "to help the kids express where they're
coming from," Nicholson said. The photos, which were mounted
on posters with accompanying text written by the students,
were displayed during the program's last week at an event
for parents. Students and parents were nearly silent as they
closely examined each poster. In one, a student captured her
little sisters eating ice cream. In another, a student
presented pictures of a deserted street accompanied by the
lament that there was "nothing as far as entertainment" in
walking distance of his house.
Brandon Paige '04, who is in the Teacher Preparation
Program, spent a lot of time over the summer helping
students with their writing and even led an English class,
the first time he had taught in a classroom on his own.
Paige made an important discovery this summer. "I know I do
want to be a teacher," he said. "It's confirmed."
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September 16, 2002
Vol. 92, No. 2
previous
next
archives
Contents
Page one
•Chemical engineer keeps her
head in the clouds for research
•'Bookscape' brightens
literary landscape in children's
library
•High school students get
extensive college experience
Inside
•Summer outreach programs
inform and inspire
•Students look up to
Princeton mentors
People
•Explorer of Big Bang
afterglow dies at age 67
•Spotlight,
briefs
Sections
•By the
numbers
•Nassau
Notes
•Calendar of
events
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Editor: Ruth Stevens
Calendar editor: Carolyn Geller
Staff writers: Jennifer Greenstein Altmann, Steven Schultz
Contributing writers: Karin Dienst, Marilyn Marks, Evelyn Tu
Photographer: Denise Applewhite
Design: Mahlon Lovett, Laurel Masten Cantor, Margaret
Westergaard
Web edition: Mahlon Lovett
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