The halls of Willow Bend Elementary are always buzzing about college, the importance of it for their students and that it is never too early to start thinking about where they want to attend thanks to the No Excuses University initiative. NEU is a program to inform students in elementary, middle school and high school that higher education is possible for any student who wishes to seek it. The purpose of NEU is to start preparing students now for what to expect after they graduate high school with no questions unanswered on what to do next.
Willow Bend Elementary is one of 233 schools across the country that participates in NEU. Each classroom at the elementary school adopts a college and dedicates time throughout the year to teach their students about the higher education offered at that campus.
Mrs. Woodul, a fourth grade teacher at Willow Bend, sent a letter to the University of Alabama informing them about NEU and that their university was her adopted one for the year. The college wrote Mrs. Woodul back and has now adopted her class! Not only did Mrs. Woodul receive a letter in return but a package full of UA swag and T-shirts for each one of her students. Just one more way Willow Bend is taking full advantage of being a NEU campus!