Over One-Hundred Students from Central Mississippi Offered Free Pre-College Access Worth Over $30,000 from SR1 C.O.O.L. ™ Zone

Ridgeland, MS – Over 100 students from the Central Mississippi area , including Forest Municipal School District and Scott County School District, were able to get a free pre-college tour with the help of a non-profit organization. 

SR1 Community Oriented Opportunities for Learning (C.O.O.L. )™ Zone offered the exclusive college tours in July at Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi as part the organizations Pre-College Overnight Camps.

The tour at Mississippi State University is worth over $21,000, and at the University of Mississippi, the tour cost was about $11,500.

 The founder of SR1, Tamu Green, said the College Bound Experience is a signature opportunity for students in grades K - 12th who actively participate in SR1’s fall and summer programs.

About 45 students went to Mississippi State, and over 100 went to Ole Miss. The students who live in the Scott County area, said they took full advantage of the trips, which ran a price tag of over 30 thousand dollars total. 

"The experience was awesome,"said Joseph Greenhouse, a senior at Forest High School. Greenhouse said, Ït gave so many kids the opportunity to see and live out what college is like."

Greenhouse was not the only senior from Forest to have this feeling. Senior, Katelyn Phillips, also a future graduate of Forest High School said SR1 gave her an experience of a lifetime.

"I have been to the campus a couple of times for cheer camp, but never really had the chance to experience how the campus would feel as a college student until our SR1 camp," said Phillips.

Green said the Pre-College Overnight Camps are designed to prepare students for the transition to higher education by giving them the experience of living in a residence hall, meeting admissions staff and student life, attending workshops on financial aid, and meeting with department leaders on majors they are interested in.

“The success of our PreCollege Camp proves what I have always believed—when our young people are surrounded by opportunity, mentorship, and a community that believes in them, there are no limits to what they can achieve," said Green. "Scott County’s future is bright, and together we are building a legacy of excellence that will inspire generations.”

Green said through the C.O.O.L.™ Zone, we are building a true cradle-to-career pipeline of support that begins in early childhood and extends through college and beyond. This camp reflects our unwavering promise: every child deserves access to opportunity, mentorship, and excellence—no matter their background or zip code.

Parents or guardians who are interested in registering their children for Fall and Summer SR1 C.O.O.L. ™ Zone programs can do so by filling out an application online at www.sr1tech.org.

Students are required to have a reference from school administration to participate and their most recent report card. From their, students will conduct a face-to-face interview with C.O.O.L. ™ Zone leaders to determine if they will be accepted in to the program.

About SR1

SR1 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education, workforce development, and community health across Mississippi. Through innovative programs like SR1 C.O.O.L. ™ Zone, SR1 empowers students and families with the tools they need to succeed.