Around 250 Horry and Georgetown County elementary and middle school students and their Coastal Carolina University student mentors (about 145) will have their annual fall trip to Brookgreen Gardens on Thursday, Oct. 23 to celebrate the Dalton and Linda Floyd Family Mentoring Program.

During the morning outing, the students and their young mentees will walk through the gardens, visit the Lowcountry Zoo and enjoy a Gullah program presented by Ron Daise.

The University initiated the mentoring program five years ago, pairing university students with children from area public schools. The program aims to improve South Carolina's low high school graduation rate by connecting college students with children who may benefit from some extra encouragement. This year the program has transitioned into high schools as well, and ninth grade students from Carolina Forest and Conway high schools are being mentored.

Other schools participating in the program include Aynor, Carolina Forest, Conway, Forestbrook, Green Sea Floyds, Homewood, Lakewood, Loris, Palmetto Bays, Pleasant Hill, Pee Dee, Socastee, South Conway and Waccamaw elementaries; Black Water, Carvers Bay, Conway, Forestbrook, Myrtle Beach, Ocean Bay and Whittemore Park middle schools.

For more information, call the Office of Marketing Communications at 843-349-2087.