The Ohio Reach Campus Liaison Team (SPARK) provides holistic support to foster youth through their educational goals. The program includes a 3-day pre-college conference, workshops, mentoring, transportation assistance, recognition events, and end of year banquet. It aims to help scholars PREPARE, ACHIEVE, REALIZE and KEEP their educational goals. The program has seen successes such as receiving grants, collaborating internally and externally, and launching a pilot program for 25 scholars at Columbus State. Challenges include financial/housing barriers for foster youth, mentor matching, and transportation. Next steps include spring activities, recruiting new scholars, and implementing a student tracking system.

1. Program Components:
• 3-Day Pre-College
Conference: Passport to
Success
• Lunch & Learn Workshops
• Mentoring
• Emergency Transportation
Funding
• Milestone recognition/gift
cards
• Mentor Training
• End of the Year Recognition
Banquet
The Ohio Reach Campus Liaison Team
(S.P.A.R.K.) SUPPORTS foster youth to
PREPARE, ACHIEVE, REALIZE and KEEP their
educational goals within reach.
• Holistic Support for
Scholars
• Mentoring and
Engagement for Scholars
• Achievement and
Recognition for Scholars

2. Successes
 Student Success Council Innovation Fund, $5,000
 Ohio Reach Mentoring Grant, $60,000
 Internal and external collaboration
 Pilot Year launched for Columbus State Scholar Network
with 25 applications and 13 active scholars
 Hired two student assistants to support the program
 Foster Youth/Student Parent Support offered
 CS C.A.R.E.S. Packages
 Partnerships with My Very Own Blanket & Starfish Alliance
 100% Scholars have mentors

3. S.P.A.R.K. - History
“Financial Aid Evolution: Change Agents” OASFAA Fall
Conference 2015

4. Challenges Enrollme
nt Status
Age Terms
Completed
GPA of
Continuing
students
Students
who
Transferred
to CSCC
170 new
students
17 & Younger
=
9 Students
1 = 68
Students
2.0 G.P.A. =
23.6%
69 Students
2 = 33
Students
2.00-2.49 =
12.4%
186
returnin
g
students
18-19 years
old =
40 Students
3 = 22
Students
2.5 -2.99
9.8%
20-24 years
old =
137 Students
8 or more
=
33 Students
3.5-4.0 =
5.3%
25-29 years
old =
76 Students
Foster Youth
• Financial and housing barriers
• Mentorship matching
• Transportation
Program Overall
• Launching at full capacity
• Developing accountability
process
• Getting Starfish/FOCUS started
• Increasing social activities
• College Credit Plus
• Marketing

5. Next Steps
 Spring offerings: Passport to Success Conference & Lunch & Learn
Workshops
 Spring mentoring matching for new scholars
 Spring Celebration Ceremony
 Recruiting autumn 2016 scholars
 Mentoring Training
 Assessment
 Starfish/FOCUS Tracking (Furthering our College’s undergraduate
success)