Dozens of sixth graders tried to squeeze through the Huntsman Center entrance gates when U student volunteer Dheerajvalkya Gadicherla stopped them.
“I’ll let you go by if you say ‘Go Utes,'” Gadicherla yelled.
Amid the prepubescent giggles and squeals, the group shouted the phrase and ran inside, eager to attend the culminating “Power Rally” to end the day at Project Youth.
Hundreds of sixth-grade students from across the Salt Lake Valley came to the U campus yesterday as part of Project Youth — an event put on by the Bennion Community Service Center each year bringing underprivileged youth to campus to promote the goal of receiving a college education.
“Sixth grade is a very vulnerable year when it comes to education,” said Project Youth Co-director Natanya Miller. “They subconsciously make the decision whether to go on or not (to college).”
Although the event was specifically for underprivileged students in Title I schools, all schools in the valley were invited to attend.
Throughout the day, the sixth graders were divided into groups and taken around campus by student volunteers, touring places such as the Marriott Library, the seismograph lab, the Women’s Resource Center and the Museum of Natural History. Students played games and even watched a demonstration of science experiments in the physics department.
“Someone told me to look in the room where they were doing the physics experiment and the students were almost rolling on the floor laughing, having a great time,” said Liz Clark, volunteer coordinator.
The day ended with a large rally at the Huntsman Center, featuring the U marching band, cheerleaders and some speakers.
Some sixth-grade boys seemed to enjoy the rally so much, they were caught shouting, “I love you!” to the U Crimson Line.
Speakers sought to motivate students by sharing personal experiences and offering words of encouragement. U football player Brian Johnson, sophomore Jose Rodriguez, women’s soccer goalie Ashley Mason and KSL Channel 5 meteorologist Kevin Eubank spoke at the event.
“My family immigrated to Utah when I was eight. Now I’m 20, in college and loving it,” said Rodriguez, a sophomore in social justice and law.
Rodriguez led the students in the Spanish chant of “S, se puede,” saying, “You can accomplish your dreams and make them reality.”
When asked whether they wanted to attend college, the crowd of sixth graders raised their hands and answered with a resounding “yes.” Many of the students said no one in their families had attended college.
One girl said that she would be excited to attend the U. “They were teaching me the ‘Utah Man’ song and I had to sing it so I just moved my lips, but then I started saying (the words),” she said.
Project Youth volunteers said they thought the event was a success. “It’s really good to know that students will have something to remember about the U for the rest of their lives,” Clark said.
About 900 students attended Project Youth, with 40 teachers accompanying them. Clark said all teachers gave positive feedback about the event.
The Bennion Center has been doing Project Youth at the U for almost 20 years.