By Mindi Funderburg
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

The transition from high school to college can be difficult, but one UH-Clear Lake adviser is making things easier for education students.

Barbara Perales, academic adviser for the School of Education, recently became head of the Collaboration Program. The program is designed to identify area high school students who are interested in teaching and to help them get the education they need. Collaboration carries students from high school to area community colleges and eventually to UH-Clear Lake.

Collaboration recruits future educators by holding seminars and conferences at community colleges for interested high school students. The assistance does not stop with recruitment. Scholarships are offered to high school, community college and UH-Clear Lake students. Perales said the average scholarship last year was about $2,700.

There are four different Collaboration Programs: the Baytown Area Education Recruitment and Retention, which involves Goose Creek I.S.D. and Lee College; the Galveston Area Teacher Education Recruitment and Retention for Galveston I.S.D. and Galveston College; the Homegrown Teacher Project for Galena Park I.S.D. and San Jacinto College North; and the Pathway to Teaching, involving Houston I.S.D. and Houston Community College-Southeast Eastside Campus.

These programs will, in turn, provide future teachers for these areas, as the students return to that same area to teach.

"The neat thing about this program is that we're going to put them right back in the area that they came from," Perales said. "Then, there's a better possibility that they'll be hired in that school. We're taking from the community and we're giving right back. It's very mutualistic; it helps everyone."

Collaboration even helps once students are teaching.

"Every month we choose randomly a Collaboration student and we award them supplies for their classroom," Perales said. "Those supplies can get expensive for teachers. It's a nice way to support them and remind them that Collaboration is always there."

There have already been approximately 152 graduates from the program. For the 2002-2003 school year, there are approximately 269 students enrolled at the high school level, 174 at the community college level and 141 at the bachelor's degree level.

Perales has only been on the job since August, but she has garnered praise from those around her.

"She's probably the perfect person for this position," said Rebecca Sharp, academic adviser for the School of Education and former Collaboration adviser. "She has such an out-going personality and knows students and works well with both students and administrators. There's a big learning curve, but she's done an excellent job so far." Perales had to adjust to a very hectic and time consuming position.

"Barbara has done a terrific job," said James Sherrill, associate dean for the School of Education. "It's one of those jobs that gets you in trouble because when you're out in the schools, people here want to see you and when you're here, people in the schools want to see you. She's back and forth all the time. She's just doing a magnificent job."

Perales attributes Collaboration's success to the people she works with.

"We all work together here in the office," Perales said. "There's no way that one person can do it. We're all in it for the same reason, I just happen to be the one that goes out into the schools."

Perales decided to work with Collaboration after learning about the program.

"There's something very special about the type of person who wants to be a teacher," Perales said. "They are giving and they are open and they are optimistic and hopeful. They are wonderful people. I love my job."

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