Maine College Aspirations Libraries

College Aspirations Libraries in Maine Maine College Circle, a Yarmouth-based nonprofit, supports information, interest, and community -- to help more Maine students make the most of their opportunities in higher education. More Maine students will continue their education beyond high school when they have the information they need to make informed decisions about their future. More Maine students will pursue a productive college education if we help them build an interest in learning at college, not just an interest in enrolling in college. Building a true interest in learning takes years, not months. So, Maine College Circle helps students at all levels build an excitement for their future and for their opportunities in higher education. More Maine students will continue their education beyond high school when they know that their community is clearly behind them. The most valued information is local information. Local high school students can have a strong influence on the aspirations of younger students in their community. We encourage your school and community to establish College Aspirations Libraries in your local elementary and middle schools. 1. Ask your high school seniors to gather the college admissions material they have received from colleges. 2. Arrange to have these students deliver some of this material to a local elementary or middle school classroom. 3. Ask these seniors to talk to the students about the colleges they considered, the process they went through, and what they have learned from the process. The seniors will then answer questions from the students. 4. Establish an ongoing "College Aspirations Library" in the classroom or the school's library and build ongoing communication between the younger students and the seniors as they head off to college. For participating schools, Maine College Circle will provide the 2006 edition of the "Early College Finder" that seniors can share with the students, and/or three posters they can take into the classroom – 210 Great College Majors for Maine Students, 386 Great Colleges for Maine Students, and 476 Career Opportunities for Maine Students. We hope you will join us in this simple, community-based, statewide initiative to reduce waste, raise aspirations, and build a smart future for Maine.