Project TEACH, an incentive scholarship program at Hope College geared toward helping minority students become teachers, has chosen a sixth group of participating high school students.
Tiffani Delaney, Jessica Nykamp-Schwander and Pong Somprasong, all of the Holland area, have joined the program beginning with the new 2001-02 school year. They will be recognized during a reception at the college's Maas Center auditorium on Thursday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
"I am very excited about the young women who are about to join our program," said Barbara Albers, director of Project TEACH. "Each brings very unique gifts into the already very talented group of students that make up Project TEACH. Each will make an excellent teacher, and it will be fun watching them grow into this."
Project TEACH (Teachers Entering a Career Through Hope) provides mentoring and instructional support for the high schoolers, who begin as sophomores or juniors. The program also provides scholarship aid for the participants as Hope students. The program's goal is to help local students while increasing the number of minorities who become teachers locally.
The program enrolled its first high school students in the fall of 1996. A total of 18 are now participating, including nine who have become students at Hope.
Delaney is a sophomore at Holland High School, and the daughter of James and Mitra Delaney of Holland. Her activities have included orchestra and competing in swimming and soccer. This summer she participated in a mission trip to Minnesota through Cavalry Reformed Church. She is interested in teaching third or fourth grade.
Nykamp-Schwander is a sophomore at West Ottawa High School, and the daughter of Richard and Elisabeth Schwander of Holland. Past activities include band, editing the school paper and student council; she is on her school golf team and active at Fellowship Reformed Church. She is considering teaching eighth- or ninth-grade social studies.
Somprasong a sophomore at Holland High School, and the daughter of Khamvilay Thavongsa and MaLaythong Somprasong of Holland. She has been active in her church, Landmark Baptist Church, and its young people's group. She is still deciding which grade level she would like to teach.
In addition to Delaney, Nykamp-Schwander and Somprasong, the program's participants are: Kristine Brandt, a senior at West Ottawa High School; Justine Campos, a junior at Holland High School; Allison Cuellar, a senior at West Ottawa High School; Kristina Kyles, a sophomore at Hope; Marisol Lemus, a sophomore at Hope; Kristina Martinez, a sophomore at Hope; Yadira Martinez, a junior at Holland High School; Ericka Morales, a senior at Holland High School; Dinah Rios, a freshman at Hope; Adam Rodriguez, a freshman at Hope; Pannha Sann, a freshman at Hope; Meyly Sew, a senior at Hope; Sonia Soto, a junior at Hope; Dina Vathanaphone, a sophomore at Hope; and Antoine Williams, a senior at Holland High School.