In the spirit of spring, PeerForward teams are blooming with new ideas on how to continue the momentum on their college-going campaigns as they near the last quarter of the school year.
In support of their continued success, PeerForward hosts Spring Training Camps to provide Peer Leaders with the opportunity to reflect, review, and recognize their impressive campaign activities. As a team, Peer Leaders review their data, assess the effectiveness of each campaign, and plan how their team will evolve for the next generation of Peer Leaders. During this time, 11th-grade Peer Leaders are encouraged to lead remaining campaign activities as 12th-grade Peer Leaders prepare to graduate.
Teams across the country gathered in early March to review their Scoreboards, a goal-tracking tool specific to each school’s PeerForward team, which maps campaign events and FAFSA completion rates. Students use this information to identify progress towards their goals and analyze how their completed activities have impacted their results.
With more insight available, teams can “evaluate and evolve,” where the 12th-grade Peer Leaders “evaluate” by providing feedback on what worked during the school year campaigns, while 11th-grade Peer Leaders “evolve” by identifying what they would like to do differently for future campaigns. In a true sign of passing the torch, Junior Peer Leaders take the lead in planning the team’s next campaign activities before the end of the school year. 
Spring Training Camps wouldn’t be a celebration without our special guests. At our Deloitte Spring Training Camp in NYC, more than 20 Deloitte volunteers shared their best college and career advice with our Peer Leaders. A very special volunteer and PeerForward alumnus, Siraj Bah, shared more than just advice. As Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Manhattan College, Mr. Bah welcomed PeerForward with open arms to his campus for our second New York Training Camp.
At Manhattan College, PeerForward teams surprised their Coaches and Advisors by eagerly competing for a spontaneous scholarship offered by the college. Two Peer Leaders competed against one another by performing the Renegade Dance Challenge. In the end, both students won a cash prize and a life lesson from our own PeerForward Coach, Michael Ferron, “As long as you try, you can’t lose.”
The following week, we welcomed our D.C.-area Peer Leaders to our Spring Training Camp at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) in Largo, Maryland. Matthew Cuozzo, PGCC’s Early College Access Program Coordinator, spoke that day with Peer Leaders of how impressed he and his colleagues are with Peer Leaders’ passion and commitment to helping their peers on the path to higher education.
At the PGCC Training Camp, Peer Leaders learned how to be a “Budget Savvy Student,” going through financial literacy lessons to help prepare for college. Teams also heard from a panel of PeerForward alumni in a “College Q&A,” where Peer Leaders were able to ask candid questions about the college student experience and the uncertainties they face in choosing the right college. One key takeaway: students should seek resources and community to help them through whichever future college they choose.
To close out each Training Camp, PeerForward Coaches ask that Junior and Senior Peer Leaders line up separately and face one another. In this moment, we encourage all Peer Leaders to look at the legacy they have created, pledge to one another that they will continue to inspire change, and allow our Senior Peer Leaders to pass the torch to their Junior teammates!
