Special summer school gives opportunity to less fortunate studen - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

7th grader Sylvia Conatser already does very well at school.

But, she likes to attend some special summer classes anyway.

"I'm always looking forward to it, I don't even see it as school because we're learning while we don't even think about it," she said.

Four years ago her mom Julie knew she was interested in Baylor's University for Young People.

But there was a problem.

"I just didn't know if we could afford it," she said.

Then Sylvia won one of 66 scholarship spots from Project Promise, funded by the City of Waco.

She was on her way to taking everything from cooking, to poetry, to leisure sports and robotics.

The program's main goal is to make higher education seem more accessible to underprivileged kids, who statistically do not attend colleges or universities at the same rate as students from a higher socio-economic background.

"Really what it did, it gave me the opportunity to know that I could go to college, it was within my reach," said Baylor sophomore Catelia Romero. Romero says she never really thought about college as a part of her life before attending University for Young People.

She took the summer classes for eight years. Toward the end of her involvement, she became valedictorian at A.J. Moore Academy, and is now at Baylor on scholarship.

Administrators say Catelia, Sylvia and other Project Promise scholarship recipients bring a lot to the enrich the courses.

"They bring diversity, they bring talent and the intelligence is overwhelming," said University for Young People director Dr. Mary Witte.

Julie Conatser says she feels fortunate that daughter Sylvia and both of her other children were able to take part in the program.

"We always pray that if it's what God wants for our children, that he will open the doors. And he has graciously opened them," she said.

And true to the program's mantra, little Sylvia already has a plan for after high school.

"Baylor!" she says excitedly.

Space is still available for University for Young People, including nine scholarship spots. The classes all take place in June, at varying days and times.

For more information about the program, click here.

Click here for an application or call (254) 710-2171.