To give students a chance to experience and tour around a college, the AVID program is hosting a trip to Grambling State University on Sept. 22.

“I had several students asking me about (going to) Grambling,” AVID teacher Robert Johnson said. “After having so many kids ask about it, I decided to reach out to a few friends of mine to see if somebody was offering a charter bus to Grambling, and we just put the trip together from there.”

Senior Reagin Williams said that this trip is something she’s been forward to.

“I’ve always told Coach Johnson we should go on college trips that aren’t in Texas,” she said. “I have family that graduated from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and loved everything about it. It’s been something I have been interested in.”

College trips provide many students with more information about life on campus.

“(Visiting colleges) is usually really fun because you find out stuff that you’re never going to find out unless you actually go to the school,” senior Jhane Haskins said. “You get to experience what college life is really like, and it’s not always easy to make a trip to go on your own free time.”

The trip is open to everyone in the school, not just AVID students.

“At first, it started out being (just for) the seniors,” Johnson said. “But I had many underclassmen asking me about (the trip), and then I realized all kids deserve the opportunity. You should never take an opportunity like this away from them, so if they wanted to go, I would let them.”

Grambling offers on-sight admission.

“The big thing (about the school) is that it offers admissions on the spot,” Johnson said. “Seniors tend to wait until the last minute to try to get into colleges, so to get at least the first one under their belt should make it easier on them.”

Students are also getting to watch the Grambling State University Tigers take on the Alabama State Hornets.

“It’s really cool that we get to see a game,” Haskins said. “It will really give (me) a taste of the college atmosphere and I’m excited about that.”

Johnson said this trip will be an insightful experience.

“(The students) are going to be able to watch a football game and sit with academic and financial aid counselors,” he said. “My main goal is for (seniors) to get accepted that day into the university. It’s (going to be) an experience like none other.”