Every so often, you may be dutifully studying in the library when suddenly a large group of talkative middle schoolers trudges past you, led by a couple of Bates students. You might wonder what all of this commotion is about. The answer? Aspiration Days.
These days are events hosted by Aspirations Club – a group of students who work to support the post-high school goals of youth in the Lewiston-Auburn area.
Ruby Hill ‘27 works with the Harward Center for Community Partnerships to organize Aspirations Days. She has been involved with the Aspirations Club since her first year, when it was founded five years ago as a product of a Bates student’s first-year seminar project.
Aspirations Clubs has two components: First, the mentorship program, where Bates students go to local schools each week to serve as role models for a seventh or eighth-grade student.
The second component is the Aspiration Days, during which Bates hosts students from both Auburn Middle School (AMS) and Lewiston Middle School (LMS) on the Bates Campus. Unlike the mentorship program, which is targeted specifically at middle school students who need extra support, the Aspiration Days are for all of the eighth-grade students.
The Aspiration Days are held in the fall for the AMS students while LMS students visit during Short Term. The students arrive around nine in the morning, and there are a few rotating sessions. First, they attend a College Access Session, where students are able to think about what they want and how to get there.
The goal is not to convince the kids to pursue a four-year college degree, and instead is all about having fun while encouraging the youth’s aspirations. The Aspirations Club acknowledges that such a path does not work for everyone.
Whether it’s college, trade school, or something else entirely, Aspirations Days aim to show these students that they can do what they want to do.
“It’s meant to be this really fun and engaging program to help foster these aspirations that these kids have. And also encourage them because sometimes we need a little bit of encouragement,” Hill said.
Hill added, “We really try to open doors and tell them about the systems that are there to support them and all of the different resources they have access to.” Another session is the tour, where Bates students show Lewiston Middle School students around the campus.
Even though they live locally, many of these students have never been on a college campus before and are amazed at the resources and amenities. Whether it’s the “incredible wall of cereal” in Commons or the fact that there are so many buildings here, “it’s like a city,” visiting campus can be an inspiring and eye-opening experience for young teens.
Each session they participate in is around an hour, and then in the afternoon, there are field games played on Garcelon Field. In general, the kids are excited to be here and are engaged and talkative.
The experience is equally impactful for many volunteers who feel rewarded to see that the work is actually making a difference.
Hill stated that for her, the reward is “Trying to inspire these students and have them dream big about college and careers and think about what they want to do.”
