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Over spring break, local high school students had the opportunity to participate in several college tours as part of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s Teen Achievers program. This year’s tours marked the first time since 2019 that the Y was able to make these unique experiences available to area students.

The Y’s 2022 college tours brought together more than 45 students from seven different area high schools served by the Teen Achievers program including: Joliet West, Joliet Central, Plainfield Central, Plainfield East, Plainfield South, Minooka, and Morris.

Tours were split over three days, allowing students to visit six institutions across Illinois and Wisconsin including: Aurora University, Northern Illinois University, Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Illinois State University, and Illinois Wesleyan University. 

The Y’s Teen Achievers program provides essential support for high school students as they set and achieve high educational, professional, and personal goals. The variety of colleges and universities visited this year helped students broaden their understanding of possible options for their post-secondary education.

Each visit featured Q&A sessions with Admissions Department representatives, allowing students to learn more about application requirements, financial aid packages, job placement opportunities, and campus lifestyles.

By sharing the experience with participants from other high schools, students were also able to socialize and establish new friendships during the trip. In all, the tours will hopefully serve as a stepping stone for students to discover their identities, embrace their passions, and become their best selves.

The Y would like to thank the following chaperones for providing administrative support during the week: Donnie Chestnutt, Stephen Franklin, Dr. Saundra Russell-Smith, Shannon Stawikowski, Chris Tagler, Jillian Van Tuyle, and Jackson White.