Austin Adult Learning will offer a tuition-free college prep academy at Riverland Community College beginning summer 2013. The academy, called SPARK, will be for recently graduated high school students or those between ages 18 and 22 who are no longer in high school.

SPARK staff have been working closely with the successful and award-winning Be Your Best Summer College Prep Academy to create the most benefits to students. This collaboration includes a dual application as well as a shared workshop one morning a week during the dates that the two programs coincide.

SPARK runs June 24 to Aug. 16, Monday through Thursday, from 8-11:30. On Wednesdays students will have the option of staying after class to participate in fun activities planned by Austin Adult Learning staff as well as students enrolled in the program.

Classes provided will include English, math, and a course utilizing MyFoundationsLab, an online Accuplacer prep tool. MyFoundationsLab will work with students individually on areas that they may struggle with before taking the Accuplacer. It is the hope of Austin Adult Learning staff that students who participate in this summer program will be ready to enroll for Riverland fall courses.

Due to alternative required testing for SPARK, students who enroll will not have to take the Accuplacer placement test before beginning the program. Further information will be given when students submit the application, due March 15^th. Students who fit the criteria for both SPARK and Be Your Best are encouraged to apply for both programs so that our joint search committees can place them in the program that will have the most benefit for them.

Anyone who has questions about SPARK or Austin Adult Learning can visit the following the Spark website. Contact the SPARK Program Liaison, Bernadette Muloski, at 507-433-0538 or Bernadette.muloski@austin.k12.mn.us with questions. The Austin Adult Learning office is located in Riverland’s Student Success Center on the Austin campus in the West Building.