This item originally appeared in the Oct. 23, 2003, issue of The Tech Talk.

By CHRISTINA CHUA

Staff Writer

The Student Government Association will visit A.E. Phillips Laboratory School, located on Hergot Avenue, today to address eighth-graders as part of a community service project, known as Students Initiatives.

This is a project where the SGA visits area junior high schools and high schools to inform students about Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) and other issues pertaining to college admission.

Amanda Gross, a co-director of community service for the SGA and a senior marketing major, said this is the second year Tech has done this project.

"This is a good opportunity for college students to educate younger students since they have already gone through college admission," Gross said.

Erin Akin, a co-director of community service and a senior speech communications major, said while some high schools are giving their students information about college, high school students "need to hear it from our perspective."

Gross said high school students usually regard college students as peers and would be more willing to listen.

"Sometimes they may listen to college students better than they do with their guidance counselor," Gross said.

Akin said the talk will be set up in the format of a skit where SGA members will act out roles as guidance counselors.

Also, SGA members will share their personal experiences at Tech to allow high school students to relate better.

Besides Ruston, the SGA has been to areas such as Arcadia, Choudrant, Jonesboro, Quitman and Simsboro.