By Isabella McHugh
Staff Writer
The College’s annual Middle School Day brings students from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School to campus for a glimpse of college life, while organizers emphasize the program’s long-term impact.
“We used to be Trenton State,” said Marissa Bellino, chair of secondary education and a professor in the Department of Secondary Education at the College. “So it's really important to make sure that those students have that kind of access.”
Bellino said Middle School Day aims to introduce students to opportunities available after high school.
Dr. MLK Jr. Middle School Principal Victor Farnath expanded on that point, explaining that many students do not initially view college as an option after high school.
Farnath articulated many students’ thought process is, “it's 12th grade and you get a job and that's life, and maybe that's what [they’ve] seen in the past,” he said. “But now there's this whole other avenue that is just open to [them],” he added.
Farnath hopes this program motivates students to see past their high school diploma and sets them up for success later in life.
He spoke about student success, stating, “I always say I'm not teaching a middle schooler, I'm teaching them for the rest of their lives.” He added, “If something goes wrong for them when they're 30-years-old, I still take it on myself because I want them to be successful for the rest of their lives.”
Middle school students arrived in the morning and were greeted by college student volunteers before beginning a campus tour on March 25. They explored residence halls, ate in the Atrium at Eickhoff Hall, asked questions about college life and watched performances from several campus organizations throughout the day.
Freshman speech-language pathology and audiology major Daniella Albuquerque volunteered at Middle School Day for the first time. She said she initially felt nervous because she had never given a tour before and wanted to do a good job.
“There was one girl who was so excited to tour TCNJ,” Albuquerque said. “At one point, I mentioned that it was my first time giving a tour and hoped they would bear with me, and right away, she helped kind of ease my nerves.”
Albuquerque said she hopes students can imagine themselves walking on a college campus and pursuing their dreams. She also hopes to help dispel the stigma that students must be wealthy to attend college.
Albuquerque noticed how the middle schoolers’ faces lit up during parts of the tour, especially when they visited the dining hall. She joked with them, asked about their favorite foods and connected their responses back to campus life.
Farnath noted that even something as simple as the dining hall can excite students and help them imagine themselves in college.
Bellino said another engaging part of Middle School Day involves the performances in Kendall Hall. She explained that culturally diverse student groups perform for visiting students, offering exposure to activities they may want to pursue in the future.
The College works closely with the Bonner Institute to organize the event, according to Bellino. “We call ourselves a middle school day planning committee, but we’re just people who have come together to kind of make this day happen,” she said.
She described the group as “organic and evolving,” adding that it does not have a “particular home” but instead forms a community through shared engagement.
Bellino also expressed gratitude for the volunteers who participate each year.
Farnath echoed that perspective, saying the College’s students consistently welcome the visiting middle schoolers and leave a lasting impression. He said college students build stronger connections with the visitors because the middle schoolers view them more as peers than teachers or other authority figures.
Bellino noted that many students who attend Middle School Day will become first-generation college students, meaning their parents may not fully understand the college application process. She said the program aims to show them there are “pathways to get to college.”
Farnath emphasized the importance of physically bringing students to a college campus rather than only discussing college in a classroom.
“I always say everyone needs to take advantage of it because it's the best day of the year,” Farnath said. He added that there is “nothing better than getting off the bus and seeing one of [their] former students just waiting” for them.
Bellino also discussed financial limitations affecting the program. The College originally designed Middle School Day for all Trenton middle schools, but after COVID-19, organizers continued the program only with Dr. MLK Jr. Middle School.
Farnath said that if funding allowed, he would like to see more Trenton schools participate in the program and even expand it to multiple days throughout the year.
Bellino said she appreciates that students and staff continue to volunteer and dedicate their time to making the program successful each year.
Albuquerque reflected on her experience and said she felt “really connected with the students at the event.” She added that “I could tell they were really engaged and excited, like they hadn’t experienced something like this before, and they were just so happy to be here.”
