On Tuesday, May 25 and Thursday, May 27, 2004, the R.A.C.C. (Residents Addressing Community Concerns) partnered with Casey Family Services-Bridgeport and the Connecticut GEAR UP Project-Bridgeport to sponsor the second annual 8th Grade Symposium-Community as Classroom for Wilbur Cross School on the University of Bridgeport campus.

The subtitle of the symposium, Community as Classroom, is derived from the name of the partnership between R.A.C.C. and Wilbur Cross School. R.A.C.C. is a community initiative of the Casey Family Services-Bridgeport and is comprised of residents or people with a strong affiliation to the Reservoir Avenue neighborhood in Bridgeport. The facilitator and panelists were professionals who attended or resided near Wilbur Cross School during their childhood.

The two-day symposium hosted approximately 45 students on each date and was developed to prepare students for the transition from middle school to high school. Panelists were urged to discuss peer pressure, consequences of faulty choices, deferred gratification as a means to future success, and a host of other social and academic choices to be made during the critical high school years.