Pathways to Possibilities
Excel
West Michigan
Red Mesa
Sun Valley

Pathways to Possibilities (P2P) is a college-church-public school youth initiative supported by local corporations. Together, Calvin College and public schools of Grand Rapids, along with churches in West Michigan, Sun Valley, California, and the Red Mesa area of New Mexico, work to increase post-secondary education access of youth living in urban and rural communities. By combining college, school and church resources, Calvin College Campusprogramming, and relationships, P2P:

  • Involves young people in new experiences
  • Exposes them to a wide range of academic and career options
  • Develops their strengths
  • Connects them to individuals and institutions that care about their future

With program extensions in four different locations, each P2P program seeks to address the unique needs and interests of that community.
 

Excel

P2P Excel seeks to prepare African-American young men for college entrance. The program partners Calvin and P2P churches with Grand Rapids public middle and high schools. With a two-year, $100,000 grant from the Lumina Foundation for Education, the Office of Pre-College Programs pioneered this program in 2006.

Male student in the classroomThe three primary components are:

Middle School Tutoring

Tutoring at the middle schools is provided by adult volunteers from P2P churches. It begins the fall semester of each academic year and continues throughout the entire school year.

ACT Prep Tutoring

ACT tutoring at the high school will be conducted for the following test dates:

  • October 27, 2007 (test registration deadline Sept. 21, 2007)
  • December 8, 2007 (test registration deadline Nov. 2, 2007)
  • April 12, 2008 (test registration deadline March 7, 2008)

Tutoring takes place for six weeks leading up to the test date. Tutoring is provided by Calvin students through the Service-Learning Center.

Other Events

Middle School and High School program participants and their parents are invited and encouraged to attend Pathways to Possibilities planned events and other college sponsored events held on campus such as: Rangeela, Siblings Weekend, and the Calvin College Gospel Choir concert.

West Michigan

Two young girls laughingP2P West Michigan is a partnership between Calvin College and several churches located in the central city of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Muskegon, Michigan.

The Office of Pre-College Programs provides its partners with opportunities, ranging in length from one hour to four weeks, for youth to:

  • experience college
  • develop academic skills and knowledge
  • explore careers
  • build aspirations for eventual college enrollment

Benefits to church partners include:

  • events planned by the college specifically for their youth
  • resources and training regarding funding opportunities
  • and the chance to share ideas, materials, speakers and programs with one another, the college and other partners
Events & Programs

While some college planned events are specially designed for families associated with our church partners, other opportunities are open to the public. These programs include:

Red Mesa

P2P Red Mesa encourages youth, especially Native American youth, to pursue post-high school education and to assist them with the college entry process.

Geared toward 9th-12th graders and their parents, the Program Coordinator works with local church leadership to implement college preparation trainings and workshops. Of special note is the bi-annual STEP West Conference that brings together youth from Red Mesa and Sun Valley, California.

P2P Red Mesa is a partnership between Calvin College, Classis Red Mesa Youth Committee, and churches located in the Red Mesa area.

Sun Valley

P2P Sun Valley is a partnership between Calvin College and Bethel Sol De Valle, located in Sun Valley, California. Currently this program is being redeveloped.