Kahla Middle School students are already thinking about the possibilities of going to college thanks to a partnership with Lone Star College-CyFair.

Faculty and staff at LSC-CyFair adopted the middle school and several outreach efforts are under way.

LSC-CyFair recently hosted two Barker Cypress campus visits for 300 seventh-graders that included campus tours, student panel discussions and round robins to learn about the college and its programs. After lunch, college staff recapped the visit with an exciting game of jeopardy.

“Many of these students though relatively close in proximity, had never been to the LSC-CyFair Barker Cypress campus or any college campus,” said Dean Feleccia Moore-Davis. “Now, many have not only adopted a college vision for their future, but a vision of academic success.”

Wanda Baker, assistant principal at Kahla Middle School, said the students are inspired and curious about life.

“They hear about A&M and UT, but Lone Star College-CyFair is right in our backyard. We want to plant the seed (about college) in these students early on,” she said. “Decisions made in the next two years determine their future and we want them to make smart decisions.”

Last fall, LSC-CyFair and Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Partners in Education co-hosted a mentor training on the Barker Cypress campus, said Claire Phillips, LSC-Cy-Fair faculty. Among the mentors at Kahla are Interim Dean Michael Kirch, CIT professor Kimberly Hubbard and Division Coordinator Cynthia MacLin. This spring, a dozen faculty and staff are also tutoring Kahla students in English and math.

Plans for additional outreach efforts include a student mentoring program with the college’s soccer students as well as adult education classes, such as computer skills and practical skills to help in the workplace geared for the parents of Kahla students.