TUSCALOOSA -- In an effort to provide more Black Belt high school students with the developmental tools needed to attend college, 7th District U.S. Representative Artur Davis, who represents Tuscaloosa and West Alabama in the House of Representatives, is partnering with Tuscaloosa’s historic Stillman College to promote Stillman Academy.

The program is a six-week battery of courses for Black Belt high school students designed to assist them in seeking financial aid, preparing for the ACT academic aptitude test, as well as offering introductory college-level courses in English and mathematics.

Congressman Davis is a fervent supporter of the innovative program, and will encourage school systems throughout the region to participate.

“This is the type of innovative program that our public and private colleges and universities should be promoting for our youth in the Black Belt,” Davis said.  “By investing in these students now, we are not just encouraging them to seek a higher education, but to return home and invest that knowledge in their communities.  The Stillman Academy can be the first step in increasing the quality of life for hundreds of children in West Alabama, and I applaud Stillman and Dr. McNealey for implementing this program.”

The pilot program is scheduled to begin in April in Greene and Hale Counties and run through the remainder of the school year.  Classes will be conducted online via the Internet.  Students who choose to attend Stillman College may elect to have the courses count towards their college credit at no charge, or should they choose to attend another institution, those credits may be transferred for a fee.

“This is an opportunity for students in the Black Belt counties to do college-level coursework at Stillman. Stillman also will serve as a resource for students and parents who are preparing for college by providing information about federal aid, loans, and scholarships. We want to assist people in these counties to enhance their futures by preparing themselves to attend college and by identifying ways to pay for it,” said Ernest McNealey, president of Stillman.

Students who are interested in the Academy should contact George Lee, assistant vice president for enrollment management, at 205-366-8954 or glee@stillman.edu.