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S E R V I N G TAY L OR , OL D F OR G E , MOOSIC & SURROUNDING AREAS TRIBOROBANNER.COM | AUGUST 2, 2018
A Riverside student will attend Penn State Schuylkill, where she will continue her softball career |page 3
An area student placed second in the regional competition of the state Junior Academy of Science |page 5
College warmup
Riverside grad has blueprint for educational success By Josh McAuliffe
to do it. It’s such a great program, but nobody really knows about it,” she said. sPeciAl To The TRiBoRo BANNeR “I told my principal and vice principal, ‘I have to do a presentation on this thing. In a few weeks, thousands of stuWe have to get all the eighth-grade students across Northeast Pennsylvania dents together and tell them about it.’” will enter a college classroom for the Kerilyn and her fellow University of first time. It’s an exciting yet anxious Success students entered the program period for any young person. Kerilyn at the end of eighth grade and conPon, however, will likely be a bit more tinued with it throughout their high at ease than some of her cohorts. That’s because the 18-year-old Taylor school years. The program is free of charge and resident was among 19 high school students who recently completed the Uni- is funded nearly entirely by corporate versity of Scranton’s University of Suc- and foundation grants. They include: AT&T, Charles A. Frueauff Foundacess program, a multi-year, pre-college tion, Dime Bank, Fidelity Deposit program designed to help high school students develop the skills they’ll need and Discount Bank, Kuehner Family Foundation, MetLife Foundation, to successfully transition to college. Overlook Estate Foundation, Peoples All 19 students have been admitSecurity Bank and Trust, Prudential ted to post-secondary schools or Foundation, Scranton Area Community chose to enlist in the military. KeriFoundation, Waste Management, Weis lyn decided to enroll at the U of S, Markets and Wells Fargo. thanks to the program. Kerilyn and her fellow group mem“I love the U. That’s where I want bers were initiated into the program to be,” said Kerilyn, one of Debra and with a two-week stay on the UniverPeter Pon’s five children. sity’s campus the summer before their In June, Kerilyn graduated from Riverside Junior-Senior High School, freshman year of high school. “It was great. We stayed in the where she was sixth in her class. Before leaving, she gave a PowerPoint dorms,” Kerilyn said. “We learned all presentation to students, teachers and about renewable energy. My group had administrators on the benefits of the solar energy. We went to see solar panels, and to other places to look at other program. forms of renewable energy. We went to “I was the first student at Riverside Dorney Park, the Franklin Institute and an environmental place in the Poconos. I got to do a lot of things I probably never would have had the chance to do.” Then, during high school, she spent TS_CNG/TRIBORO/PAGES [T01] | 08/01/18
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Kerilyn Pon (left) and Margaret Loughney, University of Success program director.
one Saturday a month at the university taking enrichment courses in various subjects, among them study skills, SAT prep, public speaking, math, science, art and cultural activities. In addition, the students took part in financial aid and wellness seminars. “Just a bunch of different things to try and help you for college. And by being exposed to different things, you find out what you want to do in college,” said Kerilyn, who plans to major in early childhood education. She made a lot of friends through the program, and received a few awesome perks, like a free laptop computer. Overall, Kerilyn couldn’t be happier with her decision to take part in Uni-
versity of Success. And she’s hoping to serve as a trailblazer for other Riverside students looking to get a leg up on the college experience. “I feel like it’s going to make freshman year so much easier for me,” she said. “It’s a great program, and I hope more kids get involved with it.” Meet Kerilyn Pon Age: 18 Residence: Taylor Family: parents Debra and Peter Pon; siblings, Kristian, 16, Lillie, 12, Cayden, 8, and Maya, 6. Education: A 2018 graduate of Riverside Junior-Senior High School, Kerilyn will begin her freshman year at the University of Scranton this fall.