More than 130 elementary and middle school students will visit the Coastal Carolina University campus for "TEAL Youth Day: Talking Education and Learning" on Friday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students from eight elementary and three middle schools in Horry County will attend the event, hosted by the Dalton and Linda Floyd Family Mentoring Program at CCU.

The purpose of the event is to provide children and youth participating in the mentoring program the opportunity to visit a college campus to see where their mentors go to school. CCU student mentors normally visit children at their school each week. Not only does it make the college experience more "real" to these students, but it motivates them to consider higher education in their own futures.

TEAL Youth Day is hosted by at least 135 CCU student mentors as well as student volunteers, faculty and staff members. The event will feature a variety of activities that illustrate the opportunities available in college, such as athletics, service and artistic expression. Also, each student will receive a new book to promote literacy and reading.

Attending elementary schools from Horry County are Aynor, Conway, Green Sea Floyds, Homewood, Loris, River Oaks, South Conway and Waccamaw.

Attending middle schools are Black Water, Conway and Whittemore Park.

More than 180 CCU student mentors are currently serving in 22 elementary and 10 middle schools in Horry County and one in Georgetown County.

The Dalton and Linda Floyd Family Mentoring program is housed in CCU's Biddle Center for Teaching, Learning and Community Engagement within the Spadoni College of Education. The program encourages CCU students to be positive role models for children in area schools to ensure their success in and out of the classroom.

Schedule of events/photo opportunities:

Arrival | 9:15-9:30 a.m. | Wall Building circle, Chanticleer Drive East

Welcome | 9:35-9:50 a.m. | HTC Center

Activities | 10 a.m. to noon | HTC Center/Prince Lawn/Hicks Dining Hall

Activities | 10 a.m. to noon | Blanton Park/Johnson Auditorium/Hicks

Choir concert | 12:15-12:45 p.m. | Johnson Auditorium

Book dispersal | 12:45 p.m. | Johnson Auditorium Foyer