ASU’s SPARKS mentors Valley youth

Students Providing Awareness Resources and Knowledge to Start college (SPARKS), the ASU community service organization, recently invited youth from the Boys and Girls Club of Chandler to attend an ASU football game on the Tempe campus. Students learned about ASU traditions and had the opportunity to experience life as a college student.

The students are part of the “Club to College” program, a collaborative effort between Access ASU, the Dean of Students Office at the Polytechnic campus, and the Boys & Girls Club of Chandler. SPARKS has played an important role in this program as they mentor club teens and talk to them about attending college.

SPARKS is a community service organization of current ASU students who speak to students about the importance of preparing for and attending college.

“SPARKS students play an important role in our outreach to youth because as college students they can share their personal experiences with younger students,” said Anita Tarango, director of iutreach. “They talk to elementary, middle and high school students about the perceived barriers to pursuing a college degree and give insight on the process of getting to college.”

SPARKS gives university students the opportunity to present information to younger students in a unique distinctive student-to-student model. The importance of sharing real-world college experiences helps to demystify perceptions of higher education

So far this academic semester, SPARKS has presented to 1,185 grade-school students from ages nine to 18 through student panels, student networking and ASU Traditions Tours.

If you would like to promote higher education while earning community service hours please email asusparks@asu.edu for more information. Photo opportunities available.