Go Succeed is a mentorship program that provides college prep resources and career advice to high school students in Athens-Clarke County. Students who otherwise wouldn’t have access to that aid are able to be better prepared for life after secondary education.

At Clarke Central High School, the Go Succeed Program offers multiple services to students such as SAT prep and career support.

Go Succeed originally started as an SAT summer camp last year. Shortly afterward, it was given funding by College Factory, an Athens nonprofit that helps high school students accomplish their college, career and workplace goals.

Today, Go Succeed is held each Tuesday at Clarke Central High School.

“Everybody has different needs,” said Brian Ash, one of the facilitators of the Go Succeed Program. “Some kids might want some time or help with a college essay, while some need to learn the ends and outs of FAFSA.”

The program exposes students to opportunities that exist beyond high school, including those who would be first-generation college attendees.

Go Succeed has, however, seen limitations in reaching out to different groups of students. Carrie Emerson, a teacher at Clarke Central High School, said it may be harder to get this information to certain groups.

“A lot of times, there’s a language barrier between the school and the parents,” she said.

It just takes extra effort on the teacher’s and the staff’s part to make sure to try to connect with those parents in ways that they’re comfortable with.”

Go Succeed hopes that, with help from its program, students will not be as worried about their post-secondary options. Getting as much information out to these students as possible about college is the key factor in keeping them excited for their futures.

Destiny Johnson and Logan Crump are journalism majors at the University of Georgia.