UCSD students now have an opportunity for an internship at Preuss School that may be accepted for academic credit. Preuss School is a public middle and high school for low-income students located on East Campus.

The program is part of the Academic Internship Program, which is available to students with junior standing or higher. Previously, the only way to receive credit for volunteering at Preuss was through the Teacher Education Program.

“”The idea is that UCSD students are teamed with a teacher, administrator or counselor, and they will help in various ways like research topics, creating plans for improving vocabulary, aiding advisors for student activities and meeting with the students to set goals,”” Preuss Dean of Students Scott Barton said.

At Thurgood Marshall College, involvement in the program can meet a general education requirement or be the equivalent of three breadth requirements. Sixth College has also agreed that the course may satisfy three breadth requirements. John Muir College is considering to weigh the program as 12 units.

“”From the institutional aspect, it’s in Thurgood Marshall College’s interest to see that students have the ability to pursue both academic excellence and social responsibility in the context of the general education program,”” Marshall Provost Cecil Lytle said.

Since the program started the first week of winter quarter, not many of the first class of interns have been assigned to work yet. But students enrolled in the Teacher Education Program have been tutoring Preuss students since 2000, one year after the school’s opening.

Jen White, a Marshall junior, participates in the TEP program. Last quarter, she met Preuss student Thomas Mowery, and he asked her to tutor him again this year.

“”All the kids want to be here, and they want to learn,”” White said.

To attend Preuss School, a student must come from a family of at least four making less than $19,000 annually.

According to the school Web site, roughly 90 percent of Preuss students come from neighborhoods south of Interstate 8, making their daily trip to school lengthy. Some students travel from as far as San Ysidro.

They must take a trolley and then transfer onto a bus for an approximate two-hour ride to get to school.

In addition, the school hours at Preuss are extended, running from 8:45 a.m. to 4:05 p.m. Students who choose to stay for tutoring remain at school until 5:15 p.m. These hours are not typical of other public schools in the San Diego area.

“”[Preuss students] all come from underprivileged backgrounds,”” Marshall College Provost Intern Anjanette Urdanivia said. “”They can’t ask their parents to help them [with homework]. UCSD students have a lot to offer … you have this great thing, why not share it?””

The first class of Preuss students will be graduating in June. Many of them have already been accepted on early admissions by colleges such as New York University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

David Iaea, who was accepted to NYU, chose to attend Preuss because it was the first of its kind. Jesse Lopez, who was accepted to MIT, wanted to take advantage of the college preparatory curriculum. Both said there is an advantage being situated on a college campus.

“”Personally, I’ve gotten a lot of support,”” said Iaea, who was a research assistant for UCSD biology professor James Nieh in behavioral biology studies.

Lopez, who is currently taking advanced math classes at UCSD, said that “”the UCSD campus and the Preuss School are one.””

Monica Gomez, the mother of two sons at Preuss, shares the same regard for the involvement of UCSD students and faculty at Preuss.

“”I think [the tutoring program] is a beautiful project,”” Gomez said. “”When my kids know the expectations set for them, they try to reach them. It’s very important for the kids to watch the life of college students because they want to go to college themselves.””

UCSD students who wish to volunteer at Preuss but aren’t eligible for the Academic Internship Program may contact Barton at [email protected].

“”We really appreciate the tutors,”” Barton said. “”They get something out of it that you can’t buy. It has its own rewards that you can’t describe.””