For years, Southside High School has been transporting their students to college fairs. But for the first time, a college fair was brought to their students.

Positive Ready Inspired Determined Encouraged, an outreach organization, hosted their first college fair Friday in Southside’s gymnasium. Representatives of 10 Alabama colleges and the U.S. Army were present to inform high school students of the opportunity they offer.

“These students are talking to [the recruiters]. They are building relationships. They’re growing,” PRIDE executive director Corey Jackson said. “That growth in relationships is what we want.”

Among the colleges present were Alabama, Concordia College, Auburn, Tuskegee, West Alabama, Selma University and more.

Southside High principal Clarence Jackson said it was essential to expose the students to an event as positive as a college fair.

“They need every positive influence they can get to direct them to where they need to be successful,” Clarence said. “Some of them might not go to college, but they can be career ready.”

Corey said the benefits of higher education go beyond earning a degree that will give an individual more job opportunities.  He said college could improve your personal like as well.

“One thing about college is it’s a safe place to grow up,” Corey said before adding how it’s helped his personal life. “The friends that I go visit and come visit me are mostly my friends from college.”

Southside counselor Lacreshia Brown said the college fair serves as a way for students to get important information right from the schools or services.

“A lot of times our kids do not get a chance to go and visit other colleges and military forces, so it’s good that we’re able to bring that in to Southside and for all of our grade levels to be involved,” Brown said.

Southside sophomore Alanna Young, who is interested in the health care field, said she has plans to enroll at Alabama. With dreams to be an anesthetist nurse, Young said the college fair helped her learn more about how to prepare for college admission.

“The type of information I’m looking for is for them to tell me what all I need to do before I graduate high school,” Young said.