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Show 213 THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH Background First generation students living in lower income communities lack the necessary knowledge about achieving a higher education. By creating interactive career presentations, it is hoped that students will gain memorable experiences and obtain a desire to go to college in the future. Volunteers were students from the Health Sciences LEAP program at the University of Utah. Mountain View Elementary was chosen based on its geographical location in Salt Lake City, presenting a very diverse student body. Methods University of Utah students visited assigned class at Mountain View Elementary on a weekly basis. There students were tutored in all subjects providing assistance for the teacher. Pre and post-surveys were administered over the course of time together to see if the children's views of college had changed. In order to facilitate these views, 4 presentations each on a different career were presented in an interactive way to get the children excited and thinking more about what they want to be when they grow up. Results Many of the children were at first unsure of whether they wanted to attain a higher education or not but results conclude that they have a positive outlook to their future. Comparisons between the pre- and post-surveys show that the student's knowledge of college and what it has to offer has increased. Results can be attributed to the relationships formed between the University of Utah and Mountain View Elementary students. Conclusion A positive outcome has occurred through weekly visits and building upon relationships with children. There was an overall increase in awareness and interest in higher education. The reach for your dreams program has proved to be a positive way to influence lower income communities, more specifically the children within these communities. It is with hope that this and more will establish a firm foundation wherein these children will take steps toward a bigger and brighter future. AFFIRMING EQUITY: CREATING ACCESS TO COLLEGE CAREERS AMONG FIRST GENERA-TION STUDENTS AND STUDENTS OF COLOR IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Caleb Kuehl, Julieta Lewellyn, Rafael Rascol (Cammy Haroldsen) Department of Sociology, Health Sciences LEAP University of Utah health sciences leap program Caleb Kuehl Julieta Lewellyn Rafael Rascol Cammy Haroldsen |