KU News Release

June 15, 2009
Contact: Jill Jess, University Relations, (785) 864-8858.

Detroit-area teens who ‘adopted’ KU for class project will visit campus in person

LAWRENCE — A group of 26 students and five chaperones from Eaton Academy Charter School in Eastpointe, Mich., will tour the University of Kansas and its environs June 15-19.

The Detroit-area students have devoted the past year to fundraising for KU’s Audio-Reader, which provides services for the visually impaired. In the course of their enthusiastic volunteer efforts, the Eaton students have embraced KU as fans and aspiring Jayhawks, going so far as to deck out their classroom in the university’s crimson and blue.

“The idea of attending college was a distant dream for many of these youngsters, let alone attending an out-of-state school,” said Bob Lantry, an Audio-Reader volunteer whose daughter teaches the 11th-graders at Eaton. “Now, they all want to go to KU. Whenever one of the students gets an ‘A’ on an assignment, all the students stand and wave the wheat.”

Aside from an in-depth Lawrence campus and Audio-Reader tour, the students will receive a presentation on applying for financial aid to attend KU. Additionally, the group is slated for outings to the Kansas Capitol and Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, as well as the KU Medical Center campus, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and a Royals game at Kaufmann Stadium in the Kansas City metro area.

During the visit to the Capitol in Topeka, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson will greet the Eaton group.

“I want to express how important this is to my students,” said Joni Lantry Kostich, the class’ teacher at Eaton Academy. “So many of them see little hope for leaving Detroit and have very little expectation from the world around them.”

By selling candy canes over the holidays and holding raffles, the students have raised money for the Audio-Reader program throughout their junior year.

“It’s an unique relationship,” said Janet Campbell, general manager of Audio-Reader. “Obviously, we’re not an academic unit, but if we can provide a spark of encouragement to these students that will result in them seeking higher education then we are fulfilling the mission of the University of Kansas. They have, in turn, provided a spark for Audio-Reader with their enthusiasm for our mission of providing the printed word.”

The Eaton students were required to raise $100 each to go on the trip. Other funds making the visit possible come from Eaton Academy; the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, KU Endowment and Office of University Communications at KU; and several Audio-Reader volunteers.

The group will be available to media three times during the week:

— 2:15 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, during a climbing wall and Wally-ball exercises at Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center on the Lawrence campus.

— 1 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Site in Topeka.

— 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 18, at Room 1015 in the Orr Major building on the KU Medical Center campus in Kansas City, Kan.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.

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