Tom Dowling
(863) 297-1051

PCC’s Talent Search Program Opens Up Opportunities to Hundreds of Students

08/08/2006: Natalia Wagner of Davenport is attending Rollins College on a scholarship today, majoring in International Relations, thanks to Polk Community College’s Educational Talent Search Program. She wouldn’t have learned about the scholarship opportunities without ETS’ help. ETS is a federally funded TRIO program that assists 6th through 12th graders graduate from high school and enroll in college. Natalia started with Talent Search when she attended Haines City High School. Since joining the program, she duel enrolled in PCC, earned 45 college credits and graduated from HCHS with high honors.

            HCHS is one of 10 Polk County schools that are targeted by PCC’s Talent Search. The primary focus of the program is to help low income and first generation students from families without a history of college graduates. “Talent Search has a great record of helping our students,” said Pedro “Pete” Rodriquez, Director of Educational Talent Search.

            The ETS students high school graduation rate has been very high- over 90% have graduated during the past four years and about the same number have enrolled in college, he said. 

            The program will continue helping Polk County students for another four years thanks to a $250,261 annual federal educational grant, Congressman Adam Putnam’s office announced. “Every American should have the opportunity to pursue the American dream through education and training,” Rep. Putnam said.

            Rodriquez and a team of three advisors: Rebecca Knowles, Mistie Parson and Matina Wagner regularly visit the target schools and help some 700 students, ensuring that they are excelling academically and preparing for college. The ETS team provides academic counseling, information about college admission requirements, scholarships, financial aid, career decision making and goal setting.

            The program ratchets up when the students enter the ninth and tenth grade. They do a career inventory and research three careers that they find interesting. Each ETS student narrows their choices down to one career and they shadow a professional in the community with that career. Then in eleventh grade, the student does an in-depth college search, culminating with them choosing and applying to colleges. Along the way, the ETS advisors work with the students to achieve the object of being accepted at one or more colleges.

            “ETS helped me achieve my goals!” declared Natalia Wagner, who is majoring in International Relations with a minor in German. She hopes to be an intern in German’s House of Representatives next year and her ultimate goal is to work at the U.N.

            Rodriquez said that Natalia not only reached her short range goals, but assisted others in the program achieve their objectives. “This young lady is very caring. She goes out of her way to help other kids,” he explained.

            Rodriquez said that it would have been impossible to assist all the students in the ETS program without the aid of numerous people, both in the program and out. “I want to thank the college community for their overall support of the Educational Talent Search Program.” he said.

            For more information about the program, including learning how to be a volunteer, call 297-1097 or check: www.polk.edu/Trio/TalentSearch.