Tangelo Park Pilot Program: A survey of 1994 and 1995 participants.

摘要

A combination of low educational attainment and high unemployment is predicted to have a negative impact on all aspects of a person's life. The significance of this point was made clear when examining the national poverty rates for African Americans, with 32.7% living below the federal guidelines for poverty. One solution to this dilemma is postsecondary education, some of which is being funded through privately financed college access programs.;The Tangelo Park Pilot Program (TPPP) is a college access program, established in 1994 by local hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen, for residents of the Tangelo Park subdivision. The purpose of this study was to identify resources that would increase retention of students in the TPPP. More specifically, the study sought to gain insights from 1994 and 1995 TPPP participants who received financial awards for college tuition and books. Data collection included the additional personal or external resources students needed to support their continued enrollment and completion of postsecondary education.;Participants in the study included 3 males and 3 females who were enrolled at technical centers, community colleges and state universities. They ranged in age from 19 to 23 years. The career choices for the students were electrical engineer, cosmetologist, aerospace engineer, broadcast journalist, dental technician, and certified public accountant. Student members of the University of Central Florida's Teacher Education for America's Minorities (TEAM/UCF) Program assisted the researcher in interviewing the TPPP students who responded to the request to participate in a one-on-one interview.;Tangelo Park Pilot Program participants identified financial aid as a major factor in continuing their postsecondary education. Other factors also appeared to contribute to the decreasing participation and retention rate of African American students in postsecondary education. These factors included socioeconomic issues, the slow rate of change of postsecondary institutions, and the academic and social preparation of the students.