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Helping Make College Education A Tradition
Educational Talent Search (ETS) is a federally funded TRIO program that provides educational guidance services to encourage individuals to pursue further education or training after high school. Individuals in the program receive information and assistance on career and academic planning. Educational Talent Search is designed to help students who are enrolled in schools and are interested in continuing their education.
Serving the Griffin-Spalding County and Bibb County School Districts, students are selected based on need with the assistance of teachers, guidance counselors, and principals. It is mandated by the Department of Education to select a certain number of students who meet the program requirements, including those who fall below certain income levels and whose parents did not graduate from a 4-year post-secondary institution. However, not all students are required to meet these criteria. The main goal of Talent Search is to identify students who are driven and have the potential to continue their education after high school. New recruits are primarily sought in the fall, especially among 6th graders; however, referrals for middle and high school students are welcome throughout the year. Interested candidates should reach out to the ETS office to be considered for the program.
For more information on TRIO, contact
Sandy Colwell, Executive Director of TRIO Programs, at srcolwell-trio@bgccg.org or 404-316-3799.
Nnamdi Onyekwuluje TRIO Program Director- Bibb County
Areas We Service:
Spaulding County
Bibb County
ACTIVITIES
Educational Talent Search has many activities for students throughout the year. Regularly scheduled workshops, college campus tours, and enrichment trips are conducted during the school year. Summer activities include campus tours and cultural enrichment trips. All of our services are FREE to you as a student! The program also provides newsletters to both students and parents. ETS strongly encourages parents to become actively involved in preparing for their child’s educational goals. Topics covered by Educational Talent Search include:
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Career Exploration and Job Prep
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Academic Support and Dropout Prevention
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College Admission Information Sessions
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Financial Aid Workshops and Scholarship Search
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Goal Setting
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College Campus Tours
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Cultural Diversity and Educational Field Trips
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Post-Secondary Selection Information
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Study Skills and Note-Taking
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ACT/SAT Prep and fee waivers and p
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Critical Thinking and Communication Skills
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Community Service Opportunities
During the school year, ETS advisors conduct regularly scheduled in-school workshops designed to be fun and pertinent to completing secondary education and enrolling in a postsecondary education program. Workshop topics include career games, bridge building, college information, money for college, career information, and character-building activities.
IN THE FIELD
College Visits
Talent Search takes students on various campus visits.
Some of the campuses visited include Mercer University, University of Georgia, Valdosta State University, Georgia State University, Albany State University, Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, Clark Atlanta University, Savannah State University, Florida State University, Florida A&M, University of Florida, Howard University, and Virginia State University.
Cultural and Career Trips
Participants are also allowed to participate in cultural and career trips. Examples of cultural experience and career trips include the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington Monument, Rosa Parks Museum, George Washington Carver Museum, Martin Luther King Jr. Center, and the Georgia Aquarium
Our Talent Search program also give the opportunity for seniors to take summer trips to places like Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia, and Florida Beaches.
After acceptance into the Talent Search program, regular attendance and participation at the monthly in-school workshop are required to participate in scheduled activities. All activities are paid for by the federally funded TRIO Talent Search program.
TRIO Program Description
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Georgia Trip Program is an enriching initiative designed to expand the horizons of young members through educational and recreational excursions. This program aims to provide children and teens with opportunities to explore new environments, participate in diverse activities, and gain hands-on learning experiences outside of their usual surroundings. By visiting museums, cultural landmarks, nature reserves, and attending special events, participants can broaden their knowledge, build social skills, and foster a sense of curiosity and adventure.
BGCCG carefully plans trips for safety, engagement, and educational value, catering to various interests and age groups. Destinations include science museums, historical sites, and nature hikes to offer fun and informative experiences. Trained staff ensure supervision and guidance. The program promotes inclusivity, community, teamwork, and building confidence and resilience in youth, fostering well-rounded individuals.
Financial Aid
www.fafsa.ed.gov – Online form to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid over the Internet
www.studentaid.ed.gov – Overview of Federal Student Aid
www.usa.gov – Explanation of Financial Aid and the process
www.finaid.org – A financial aid page providing a vast source of financial aid information
www.knowhow2go.org – Collection of information that outlines the steps students should take to ensure they are ready to apply to college.
bigfuture.collegeboard.org – Learn about different colleges, financial aid and scholarship opportunities
Georgia Legislators
Jon Ossoff Senior Senator for Georgia Official Website 202-224-3521
Raphael Warnock Junior Senator for Georgia @SenatorWarnockOfficial Website 202-224-3643
Sanford Bishop Jr. Representative for Georgia’s 2nd congressional district (Bibb County) @SanfordBishop Official Website 202-225-3631
Drew Ferguson IV Representative for Georgia’s 3rd congressional district (Spalding County) @RepDrewFerguson Official Website 202-225-5901
Scholarships
Careers
www.fastweb.com – Tailored scholarship search of over 180,000 scholarships, fellowships, loans, and grants available to students free.
www.scholarships.com – Offers college scholarship search service
www.chegg.com/scholarships – Database of scholarships
www.cappex.com – Database of scholarships and college information
www.niche.com/colleges/scholarships – Database of scholarship
https://www.careeronestop.org/ – sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, a source for career exploration, training and jobs
https://www.onetonline.org/ – The O*NET Program is the nation’s primary source of occupational information. Valid data are essential to understanding the rapidly changing nature of work and how it impacts the workforce and U.S. economy. From this information, applications are developed to facilitate the development and maintenance of a skilled workforce.
https://www.careerbuilder.com/ – CareerBuilder is one of the largest job boards, providing job listings, resume posting, and career advice and resources to job seekers. CareerBuilder secures job listings directly from employers and has expanded local listings by partnering with many newspapers to incorporate their online classifieds.
https://www.indeed.com/ – Indeed is a leading job site with millions of job listings from thousands of websites, including company career sites, job boards, newspaper classifieds, associations, and other online sources of job postings.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/ – The OOH can help you find career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations.