Thursday, Aug 27, 2015
38 Rider freshman worked with campers on several projects and exercises
by Aimee LaBrie
On Friday, July 24, students from Rider's Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) worked with children from the Millhill Child & Family Development program in Trenton, N.J.
The 38 Rider incoming freshmen and their five peer counselors took a break from their other summer activities to give back by working with children between the ages of 5 and 11 in the Millhill’s summer program Camp RISE. The EOP students read to the campers, assisted with spelling and writing exercises, created projects and spent time with them on the playground.
“Our program is about giving students numerous opportunities to give back to the community," says EOP peer counselor Kyle Bivens '16, who also worked with Rider Bonner Community Scholars to plan the event. “Many of our EOP students spent their summers in camps like this one when they were younger, so going back allows them the chance to reflect on how far they have come, especially for those who are just entering their first year of college.”
Assistant Director of Campus Life for Service Learning Joan Liptrot says experiences like this help to develop critical thinkers who are civic- and globally minded. "When these students graduate, our hope is that they go out into the world with the problem-solving and leadership abilities needed to address our world’s most serious challenges," she says.
Millhill’s many services help more than 3,500 families to improve their quality of life through services that educate, empower and transform.
The EOP is a state sponsored program that helps low-income New Jersey residents attend college. The program was created in 1969 to make higher education more accessible to students who might not otherwise be able to continue their education due to academic disadvantage or a lack of financial resources.
For more information about how to get involved, visit www.rider.edu/admissions/undergraduate/how-to-apply/educational-opportun....