Some 120 School City of Hammond high school seniors will announce their fall college plans at the Hammond Education Foundation’s (HEF) second annual Blueprint College Signing Day event, Thursday, May 3.
The ceremony will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the auditorium of the Hammond Area Career Center, 5727 Sohl Ave. A short reception will follow. Admission is free.
Blueprint is a college readiness initiative that teaches academically-qualified high school seniors at the SCH’s four traditional high schools how to gain access to an appropriate college and ultimately succeed as college students. It is believed to be the only program of its kind in Indiana. College Signing Day is the signature event of the academic year for Blueprint students.
Blueprint students’ family members and friends are expected to join the College Signing Day celebration. Members of the community also are invited to attend.
“Often, the goal seems to be to get our students across the high school graduation stage, but Blueprint looks past that moment and seeks to support those critical next steps,” said Nathaniel Foor, who leads the Blueprint class at Hammond High School and has played a pivotal role in starting and expanding the program.
Introduced in 2016 as a single-school pilot class of 11 students taught by Foor at Hammond High School, Blueprint is now also offered at Gavit, Clark and Morton High Schools. This year’s Blueprint graduating class has tripled in number from last spring’s class of 40.
“The academic language of the college application process in conjunction with all the paper work can be daunting,” Foor said. “The pressure is increased when the intimidating numbers of the cost of college come into play. Blueprint educates and supports students throughout the college-going process, thus reducing fear and enabling them and their families to be in control of taking the best steps to success.”
The Hammond Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, was formed as a philanthropic partner of the School City of Hammond in 1983. Overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of business, health, civic and educational leaders, HEF has generated more than $1.5 million in support of extraordinary learning experiences to help students succeed.