High School Students Learn, Earn By Tasting College Life

By John Gehring

Fay Allen could have spent her summer vegging out in front of the TV set or hanging around with friends at the mall. While she took part in her share of those typical teenage pursuits, the 17-year-old from Philadelphia also spent part of her vacation learning research methods from professors at Temple University.

Ms. Allen, who is entering 11th grade, begins the school year eager to propose ways to improve her school after participating in a program sponsored by the nonprofit Philadelphia Futures. The program allowed 650 low-income Philadelphia students to improve their academic skills and learn about higher education by studying at 12 colleges and universities in or near the city.

A guiding principle of Youth Works College Bound, made up of 19 different programs, is giving young people an opportunity to learn during the summer. Instead of making french fries at McDonald's, the students built their computer skills at Drexel University, learned how to create a business plan at Alvernia College in Reading, Pa., produced a play at the University of Pennsylvania, and created a handbook on domestic violence for pregnant and parenting teens at Philadelphia's...