Getting into college is easier with a gladiator at your side

A group of educators is hoping a gladiator, a bullfighter and a Napoleonesque Frenchman will help get this message across to kids: Getting into college is tough, so you'd better be prepared.

Those quintessential "tough" characters are the stars of public service announcements coming to Washington as part of KnowHow2GOWashington, a campaign aimed at educating middle school and high school students about applying for college.

The campaign is already active in up to 10 states around the country, including California, Illinois, Wisconsin and Massachusetts. Now, with a grant from the Lumina Foundation for Education, Washington is KnowHow2Go's newest frontier.

At the University of Washington on Tuesday, the Web campaign's Washington site was officially launched. And representatives from the Northwest Education Loan Association and the College Success Foundation explained how they want to use the youth-friendly campaign to create a network of school advisers, admissions officers and educators who can help low-income students and those whose family members have never been to college prepare for higher education.

Carolyn Stanek, an assistant director with the American Council on Education, told the educators and school staff members gathered at the UW that most young students think they're college-bound.

But they don't realize that they will need a résumé packed with rigorous classes and extracurricular activities to get there.

"Really, when it comes right down to it, they don't know what the steps are to get there," she said.

That's where the "tough-guy" characters come in.

Starting last week, the comically accented voices of the characters are making their way onto Seattle-area radio and television in donated timeslots. The six tough-looking characters personify algebra, biology and foreign languages -- three must-haves for the college-bound. The muscle-bound gladiator represents second-year algebra.

The commercial shows him etching away at equations on a blackboard and chasing after students who flee from his perceived "toughness."

"Give me a break -- I'm not really as tough as people think," he says as images of him pruning geraniums and blow-drying his helmet plume play across the screen.

Eventually, he is crushed to discover that students find him smelly.

The campaign isn't relying just on TV and radio spots to reach teens. It wants the videos to be humorous enough that they'll circulate online virally.

Tuesday evening, the PSA featuring the gladiator had about 450 views on YouTube. The video featuring three characters embodying intimidating foreign languages (French, Spanish and Japanese) had about 800 views.

The campaign has a four-part plan for students who want to go to college but have no one to guide them through the process:

Be a pain: The campaign suggests that students tell everyone they know that they want to attend college. "And don't stop until you find the adult who can help."

Push yourself: Students should take rigorous classes that will prepare them for college coursework.

Find the right fit: They should examine what holds their interest now and determine which college programs might be the best fit.

Get your hands on some cash: Needy students should apply for scholarships and financial aid. "There's money out there ... apply for it."

For more information, visit KnowHow2GOWashington.org.