Article published September 22, 2009
Bell, Wilkowski to push college
By TOM TROY
BLADE POLITICS WRITER
Setting aside their political rivalry for the good of dear old Woodward High, Keith Wilkowski and Mike Bell Monday said they will walk door-to-door in Woodward neighborhoods this weekend to encourage parents to attend a college night Oct. 7.
Mr. Bell and Mr. Wilkowski, the two victorious candidates for mayor from last Tuesday's primary election, graduated from Woodward in the same class of 1973. They will face off for mayor in the Nov. 3 general election.
"We might have differences in some areas but here we are on the same page," Mr. Wilkowski said. "We're living in a knowledge-based economy and in order to get ahead our students absolutely must be prepared for the next step."
Mr. Bell named President Obama as someone who overcame obstacles to become "extremely successful."
"The whole idea is that people are reaching back and trying to help, but you also got to reach out and grab the hand that's reaching out and trying to help you, and I think that's the key portion of this formula," Mr. Bell said. "Parents have to be involved in this."
Mr. Wilkowski went on from Woodward to attend Ohio State University and the University of Toledo law school. He is a lawyer. Mr. Bell graduated from the University of Toledo. He is a retired firefighter, Toledo fire chief, and state fire marshal.The two did a quick hug before the news conference began inside the North Toledo high school building, which is slated to be demolished and replaced with a new building next year.
The celebrity door-knockers will work the North Toledo neighborhoods starting at 3 p.m. Sunday. College night for parents of juniors and seniors is from
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7.
The campaign is to assist GEAR-UP - Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, a federally funded program which pays for a full-time staffer in both Leverette Junior High School and Woodward.
GEAR-UP, in its fifth year at Woodward and Leverette junior high school, encourages students and their families to have high expectations, stay in school, study hard, and take the right courses to go on to college and other after-high-school options.
GEAR-UP advisers help students with tutoring on the graduation tests, applications and financial aid forms, educational field trips, career exploration, and campus visits.
Since the program has been in place, the percentage of graduates going on to college has skyrocketed from 15 percent to 70 percent, Principal Emilio Ramirez said.
"How great is this - the next Toledo mayor is going to be a Woodward graduate," Mr. Ramirez said.
The increase in students going to college coincided with Woodward being named the pilot high school for graduates who have financial need to get free tuition to Owens Community College, beginning with the class of 2008, and now available to all Toledo Public Schools and Washington Local Schools graduates with financial need.
The University of Toledo also offers scholarships to all Toledo and Washington Local graduates with financial need and a grade-point average of at least 3.0.
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