TRIO-Talent Search Mission Possible: Graduate

Contributed by: Lily Kemp, GHS Senior

From Tuesday to Thursday, GHS Talent Search advisors, Lauren Burton and Sophie McTyre, visit GISD to provide students with advice and assistance on their college and scholarship applications, career plans, and more.

Talent Search, one of nine TRIO programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education, was designed to help middle and high school students with college and career preparation. The Talent Search branch at the University of North Texas has helped students in Cooke and Denton counties for over 31 years.

“It provides pathways and opportunities for students with diverse backgrounds, which are vital in promoting educational success, retention, and persistence,” Ms. Sophie McTyre said.

The free program serves middle school and high school students. To join, a student needs to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, and be college bound. Talent Search works with multiple post-secondary educational pathways. College doesn’t only mean going straight to a community college or four-year university after high school.

“College is any education after high school, whether it’s a 6-month certificate or a 12-year doctoral program,” Ms. McTyre said. “We don’t work with only 4-year bound students.”

TS Students participate in workshops on test prep, scholarship searches, and academic skill development. They can also schedule a meeting with their advisors to discuss specific aspects of their college prep journey or pop in the Talent Search classroom to ask a quick question. The advisors are dedicated to their job and always ready to help.

“I love talking about financial aid,” Ms. Lauren Burton said. “I have a passion for the cause because I feel like education is a great equalizer. If you can get some post-secondary education, it can help increase your income and increase your exposure to things.”

While the desire to help low-income and first-generation college students spurred the creation of the program, any and all students can enjoy its benefits. Talent Search goes beyond helping with college applications; students also have the opportunity to take field trips to see what college life is all about.

“The visits to colleges and universities are a great opportunity to see what is available outside of Gainesville,” Principal David Glancy said. “It is a difficult road to navigate, but Sophie and Lauren have the deep knowledge and, most importantly, the passion for GHS students to lead the Leopards to success.”

The GHS advisors certainly are a huge help to students, but they aren’t popular just because of their ability to aid. Ms. Burton and Ms. McTyre have bright personalities and welcome every student that steps through the doorway.

“They make me feel welcome, and they always put a smile on my face,” Talent Search member Tramera Bynum said. “They don’t talk down to me. They speak to me like I’m a person.”

They have proven their dedication to the program’s mission numerous times, and emphasized that this is not just a job, it’s a career.

“Sophie and Lauren truly have a passion for the students of Gainesville High School,” Glancy said. “From that passion comes the persistence and dedication it takes to make our students successful. They are empathetic with some students and tough on others because they know each one individually.”

The program really works. In the spring of 2014, Ms. McTyre emphasized that six Talent Search students received full-ride scholarships. Overall, Talent Search seniors in Cooke County and Denton County have received hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship money in 2019 alone, and 100% of Talent Search seniors are accepted to at least one college.