When Chelsea Albright graduated from high school in Texarkana, Texas, three years ago, she was one of a handful of students who went away to college. That memory got her to thinking about a research project she could do for her honors thesis at the University of Arkansas.

She started by looking at what research had been done on programs to encourage elementary school students to think about going to college. She didn't find any. What research existed about college awareness had been done with older students and was focused primarily on academic readiness, Albright said.

Albright, who is majoring in childhood education, started an afterschool club at Gene George Elementary School in Springdale. She built the program for 15 fifth-graders taking part in "College Knowledge" around nine topics: student's definition of college, desire to attend college, career goals, knowledge of college courses, knowledge of existing universities, financial plan, current preparation for college, factors affecting student's attendance, and communication with colleges.

"The students in the club have parents who didn't go to college," Albright said. "Their parents want the best for their kids but they don't know about college."

She brought in guest speakers, including Marcia Imbeau, professor of special education who is her faculty mentor, a Razorback football player and other college students. The elementary students read Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken," applying it to the path to college, and they took aptitude tests, compared fifth grade and college, researched colleges, wrote letters to colleges, learned about financial aid and identified majors they would like to pursue.

The club wrapped up the program with a campus tour, during which the students saw Albright's room in Hotz Honors Hall, where she is a resident assistant, ate lunch at Brough Commons, walked on Senior Walk, visited college classrooms and talked with students and professors, visited a STEM lab in Peabody Hall and toured the architecture school, Hillside Auditorium, Mullins Library, Old Main and University Recreation facilities at the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building, where they got to try out the climbing wall.

Albright tested the students on several measures before and after the program and found significant improvement of their awareness on seven of the nine topics. She also saw their confidence on the campus tour.

"They were waving to (U of A) students and saying hello," she said. "They were not afraid. They have big personalities. I love working with this age of kids. They are full of personality."

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education next month, Albright will enter the Master of Arts in Teaching program. She will return to George Elementary for her teaching internship. She hopes to incorporate some of the lessons from College Knowledge into the school day.