Project GRAD Houston

May 25, 2004, 10:53PM

Project GRAD honors its success stories

Gilberto Pina wanted to go to college, but he didn't have the money.

On Tuesday, he told a crowd of about 3,000 students and parents how he is now making plans to attend Texas A&M University this fall, thanks to Project GRAD.

"Project GRAD gave me confidence to study what I want, how I want and where I want," Pina, 18, told the audience at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Pina, a Reagan High School senior, is one of 48,000 at-risk Houston students in 74 schools involved in Project GRAD, designed to help minority students not only complete high school but attend college.

	D. Fahleson / Chronicle
Catalino Acuna, 12, along with Luis Serrato arrives at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Tuesday to attend the Project GRAD ceremony. The celebration was not only to congratulate the program's latest round of participants but to mark Project GRAD's 10-year anniversary.

Tuesday's celebration at the convention center was not only to congratulate the program's latest round of participants but to mark Project GRAD's 10-year anniversary.

Administrators say the comprehensive academic initiative has helped boost high school graduation rates by 86 percent and tripled college attendance for some Houston schools.

Students are enrolled as early as preschool, get extra help in math and reading through high school, and get support from on-campus social services. That approach has since been expanded nationally with Project GRAD USA, which enrolls more than 100,000 students in seven other cities across the country.

"Every major inner-city school program has problems," said Roy Hughes, Project GRAD's executive director. "Our approach is different but gets the job done."

While he cited Project GRAD's accomplishments over the past 10 years, he said more work needs to be done, including expanding the program to reach more students.