Please contact Mrs. Coy with any questions, or if you'd like to volunteer or be a part of ASPIRE!
What is ASPIRE?
ASPIRE stands for Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone. Aspire is Oregon's official mentoring program to help students access education and training beyond high school.
ASPIRE has been working one-on-one with students since 1998 and is currently serving Oregon students in more than 140 high schools and community sites.
ASPIRE goals are to:
Increase the number of Oregon students seeking and receiving college scholarships, financial aid, and enrolling into post secondary education or training.
Encourage citizen and community involvement with students in the local community.
Provide mentoring and resources to help students access education and training beyond high school
Changing Oregon's Future
ASPIRE supports Oregon's goal of 40-40-20 by reaching first generation college students. Of senior students surveyed, 49% had mothers and 55% had fathers who did not attend college. (self-reported, 2013 ASPIRE survey).
ASPIRE schools' scholarship applicants pools changed to reflect more applicants from traditionally excluded groups. (July 2008, Lund-Chaix).
Creating Community Investment
The program brings together students, school staff, community volunteers, and parents to help students overcome obstacles in continuing education.
ASPIRE provides the tools to recruit, train, and implement volunteer mentor programs, helping each site build a sustainable community of mentors who are sincerely invested in students' futures.
Cultivating a College-Going Culture
Students who attend ASPIRE sites are more likely to attend college compared to students from non-ASPIRE sites (January 2009, ECONorthwest).
Mentoring focused on education creates a college-going culture, motivation many students who never believed that post secondary goals were acheivable for them. (December 2007, Ellis).
This information was obtained at www.oregonstudentaid.gov/ASPIRE
