The Background of Our Program

Note: Scroll to the bottom of the page to register at any time.

We are a Community-based Organization, based in Marietta, Georgia partnering with schools, school districts, and faith- and other community-based organizations throughout the United States. We also partner with colleges and programs like QuestBridge, LEDA, Posse, and The Gates Scholarship Program. Our foundation was founded by Mychal and Nina Wynn to provide college planning guidance and support for expanding college access and minimizing student loan debt for any student, but particularly for students from lower income families and those who will be the first in their family to attend college. In 2020, our partnership with Guilford County Schools (NC), focused on first generation, lower income, and refugee students received the 2020 Magna Award from the the National School Boards Association.

In the summer of 2014, we began our partnership with Florence School District 3 through a collaboration with then, Associate Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Laura Hickson. Now, as the Florence School District 3 Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Hickson has ensured the students at J. Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet School and Lake City Early College High School have access to the best college planning guidance and access to the widest range of full college scholarship opportunities.

The amazing stories of some of the Florence School District 3 cohort students who are now attending college on a full scholarship are profiled in Their Stories: Volume I – Inspiring Essays of Students from Challenging Backgrounds.” 

Additional articles and stories:

Participating cohort students in Florence School District 3 have been offered amazing full scholarship opportunities to:

  • Bates College
  • Benedict College
  • Claflin University Honors College
  • Francis Marion University
  • Northeastern University
  • The George Washington University
  • University of Maryland – Baltimore County
  • USC – Columbia
  • Wake Forest University
  • Williams College

Students have also be selected for such prestigious scholarship programs as:

  • The Francis Marion University Darla Moore Scholarship
  • The Gates Millennium Scholars Program
  • The Meeting Street Scholarship
  • The Meyerhoff Scholars Program

What Others are Saying

In the video presented below, 8th graders share their middle school boot camp experiences and provide insight into the enormous amount of information received through their participation. Jocelyne attended her first book camp as a rising 6th grader. By 8th grade, she was not only continuing her involvement in our program, but encouraged her older sister, who was then a sophomore in the IB Program at St. Petersburg High School, to join our year-long program. Her sister went on to be offered admission to Johns Hopkins University and is profiled in the book, Their Stories: Vol I – Inspiring Essays of Students from Challenging Backgrounds.

Middle School Program (Grades 6 – 8) 

To register, complete the registration form at the bottom of this page. For more information, you may e-mail Ms. Yvonne McDaniel, dual enrollment counselor (ymcdaniel@fsd3.org); or you may e-mail our office (cpc@collegeplanningcohort.com).

Note: Our staff will continue to be available to work with students participating in the daily sessions until 3:00 pm each day; and students participating in the evening sessions until 8:00 pm each night. All students will have 24/7 access to our on-line curriculum. Students will have access to digital copies of books for their grade level during the boot camp. Students who complete all 4 days will receive a certificate of completion and printed copies of the books mailed to the address used to register.

Our 4-day Virtual Middle School Transition and Enrichment Summer Program for Middle School Students addresses the specific needs of rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. 6th graders will plan for middle school success as part of their 7-year middle school through high school journey toward their college or career aspirations. 7th and 8th graders will reflect on where they are and where they want to go in preparing for Lake City Early College High School or J. Paul Truluck Creative Art and Science Magnet School or applying to the dual enrollment program. 

Students will enjoy learning about who they are across a wide range of topics designed to increase success in school; develop effective at-home study routines; and learn how to avoid or resolve conflicts—all within a college planning context. This means that our focus is guiding students in mastering the middle school experience as part of the 7-year middle school through high school experience for becoming a top college and scholarship applicant.

Kimberly, one of our most celebrated students began our program as a rising 6th grader and is now in her 2nd year in graduate school at Iowa State University pursuing a Ph.D. in Math. Her undergraduate education at Williams College, the top ranked liberal arts college in the U.S. was totally free. Her graduate program at Iowa State is totally free. And, she recently selected as a Ford Foundation Fellow and National Science Foundation Fellow to fully fund her research for the next 3 years. Her entire journey began as a rising 6th grader.

If that is not enough, Jocelyne, the President of our College Planning Cohort Youth Leadership Board began our program as a rising 6th grader at Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida. She is now a sophomore in the IB Program at St. Petersburg High School with has developed an impressive list of achievements, which includes being a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar. Jocelyne is a contributor to our blog and a student contributor and principal illustrator for the Who I Am series of books.

Materials: Students, depending on their grade level, will be introduced to some of the topics presented in the following books, all of which have been written by Mr. Wynn and are being used by students from throughout the U.S.

Our daily agenda includes a large group presentation by our CEO/Founder, author, and nationally recognized educational consultant and college planning expert, Mr. Mychal Wynn; and time allocated for students to work through activities and engage in small group discussions with other students. Our small group discussions are safe spaces where students may openly discuss their aspirations without fear or ridicule or putdowns. Discussions are guided by discussion group leaders who are participating in our program.

Requirements for participation:

  • A computer capable of accessing our website and sharing Google Documents
  • A reliable Internet connection for accessing our online curriculum and virtual session

Sydney – The University of Chicago

As the Co-Drum Major of the St. Petersburg High School Marching Band, Sydney was unable to attend the summer boot camp, but joined our year-long program as a high school junior. In her interview, Sydney shares how important it was for her to make a commitment to the program to expand her college options, and particularly being offered admission The University of Chicago, one of the most selective schools in the country. Sydney’s growth mindset and grit paid off with her being offered a full scholarship to the University of Chicago, where she is now a 3rd-year student.

 

High School Students (Grades 9 – 11)

To register, complete the registration form at the bottom of this page. For more information, you may e-mail Ms. Yvonne McDaniel, dual enrollment counselor (ymcdaniel@fsd3.org); or you may e-mail our office (cpc@collegeplanningcohort.com).

Note: Our staff will continue to be available to work with students participating in the daily sessions until 3:00 pm each day; and students participating in the evening sessions until 8:00 pm each night. All students will have 24/7 access to our on-line curriculum. Students will have access to digital copies of books for their grade level during the boot camp. Students who complete all 4 days will receive a certificate of completion and printed copies of the books mailed to the address used to register.

Our 4-day Virtual High School Transition and Enrichment Summer Program for High School Students addresses the specific needs of rising 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. 9th graders will plan for high school success as part of their 4-year high school journey toward their college or career aspirations. 10th and 11th graders will reflect on where they are and where they want to go in pursuing college and scholarship opportunities.

Students will enjoy learning about who they are across a wide range of topics designed to increase success in school; develop effective at-home study routines; and learn how to avoid or resolve conflicts—all within a college planning context. This means that our focus is guiding students in maximizing their high school opportunities as part of a comprehensive 4-year college-bound plan.

Materials: Students, depending on their grade level, will be introduced to some of the topics presented in the following books, all of which have been written by Mr. Wynn and are being used by students from throughout the U.S.

Our daily agenda includes a large group presentation by our CEO/Founder, author, and nationally recognized educational consultant and college planning expert, Mr. Mychal Wynn; and time allocated for students to work through activities and engage in small group discussions with other students. Our small group discussions are safe spaces where students may openly discuss their aspirations without fear or ridicule or putdowns. Discussions are guided by discussion group leaders who are participating in our program.

Requirements for participation:

  • A computer capable of accessing our website and sharing Google Documents
  • A reliable Internet connection for accessing our online curriculum and virtual session

Ryan – Tuskegee University

As a rising high school senior, Ryan, a member of the varsity baseball team at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, Florida, participated in our summer program for rising high school seniors. Although Ryan was not a recruited-athlete, he had aspirations of attending college on a full scholarship with the opportunity to continue playing baseball, a sport that he loved. As a result of what he learned in the boot camp, and through our continued conversations with Ryan and his parents, he expanded his college list and was subsequently offered 2 full scholarship, one of which was to Tuskegee University as a Distinguished Presidential Scholar. Unlike athletic scholarships, which are only guaranteed for one year, his academic scholarship is guaranteed for 4 years as long as he meets to minimum annual GPA requirement. Ryan will still have the opportunity to play baseball as he pursues a degree in engineering.

I greatly appreciate Mr. And Mrs. Wynn’s help, because without them I never would have found out about this great opportunity.

— Ryan, Lakewood High School CAT Program

High School Seniors

To register, complete the registration form at the bottom of this page. For more information, you may e-mail Ms. Yvonne McDaniel, dual enrollment counselor (ymcdaniel@fsd3.org); or you may e-mail our office (cpc@collegeplanningcohort.com).

Note: Our staff will continue to be available to work with students participating in the daily sessions until 3:00 pm each day; and students participating in the evening sessions until 8:00 pm each night. All students will have 24/7 access to our on-line curriculum. Students will have access to digital copies of books for their grade level during the boot camp. Students who complete all 4 days will receive a certificate of completion and printed copies of the books mailed to the address used to register.

Our 4-day Virtual College Planning Program for High School Seniors addresses the specific needs of rising high school seniors. Seniors will develop an academic résumé; engage in comprehensive college and scholarship research; explore essay topics; and develop a list of colleges and scholarship programs to which they match based on their body of work across the 3 pillars of our program: scholarship; leadership; and service.

The goal is for students to leave the 4-day experience with a group of colleges to which they plan to apply; and scholarship programs to which they are a strong match.

Materials: Students will receive login credentials and access to our on-line curriculum and copies of the following books:

Our daily agenda includes a large group presentation by our CEO/Founder, author, and nationally recognized educational consultant and college planning expert, Mr. Mychal Wynn; and time allocated for students to work through activities and engage in small group discussions with other students. Our small group discussions are safe spaces where students may openly discuss their aspirations without fear or ridicule or putdowns. Discussions are guided by discussion group leaders who are participating in our program.

Participating seniors have the option of continuing to receive 1-on-1 support throughout the balance of the summer and during their senior year of high school.

Register Opens May 1, 2024

FREE 4-day Virtual Transition and Enrichment Programs: Middle School Students (grades 6-8); High School Students (grades 9-11); and High School Seniors. Students in each program will complete grade-level appropriate activities; engage in grade-level appropriate small group discussions; and be guided in setting school-year and long-term goals.