The TRIO student organization at Roger State University has organized a holiday gift drive for children through the Rogers County Department of Human Services.
This is the second year that TRIO has sponsored the “Angel Tree.” Last year they helped 186 children receive holiday presents and this year they would like to provide 215 children with gifts.
Members of TRIO have raised more than $1,000 by having a car wash and selling beverages at various community events to help pay for the gifts. TRIO held a benefit concert on Dec. 4 in which they raised $140. The bands that donated their performances included HotrodboB, Day by Day, Urban Tribe and Said Simon.
The Angel Trees are located at the RSU campus in Claremore, Atwood’s, Warehouse Market and Baptist Collegiate Ministries.
TRIO students participating in the Angel Tree project, and their hometowns, include the following: ReAnne Ashlock, president, Skiatook; Arrica Luck, vice-president, Claremore; Tiffany Karger, secretary, Claremore; Christi Kopp, treasurer, Nowata; Jennifer Riddle, SGA Representative, Claremore; Keith Herndon, Claremore; Whitney Akers, Nowata; Lisa Pugsley, Inola; Holly Smith, Claremore; Kyla Leverett, Bristow; and Frank Scott, Claremore.
TRIO is a branch of the U.S. Department of Education that administers several programs designed to identify promising students, prepare them to do college-level work, strengthen their math and science skills, ensure they have college enrollment and financial aid information and provide tutoring and other support services to them when they enroll in college.
RSU offers five TRIO programs including Student Support Services, Upward Bound, Educational Opportunity Center, Environmental Math and Science and Educational Talent Search.
More than 1,200 colleges and universities administer 2,000 TRIO programs. Since 1965, more than 10.5 million Americans have benefited from TRIO programs.
TRIO is a multicultural program that serves students from a variety of racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds. More than 16,000 TRIO students are disabled.
For more information, call (918) 343-7575.