For an inner-city student transported to a predominantly white school in small-town America the challenges are numerous. Culture shock! Fitting in! Local animals that are not rats!
 

But have no fear, their posse is here!
 

The Posse Foundation scholarship program (yes, it’s really called that) brings minority students to top-tier universities, while allowing them to feel comfortable in a completely new environment. The organization discovers kids from urban high schools with strong leadership and good group skills, and then presents the chosen students to college admissions offices which select a “posse” of 10 or 12.
 

After being selected as a Posse scholar (the name never gets old), the students undergo intensive training, meeting once a week to work on academics, leadership and team building, at the same time forging bonds to one another. The idea is that these students will be less likely to drop out or fail if they have a group of friends backing them up, and they will bring increased multiculturalism to the schools they attend.
 

The program is innovative and valuable, but somehow I can’t get the image of stuffy college admissions officials seriously discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the posse out of my head.
 

While, they’re at it, maybe they should really get down with the lingo and change the valedictorian title to Homeboy of the Year.