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Two accomplished Largo High School alumni told current ninth- and 10th-graders Tuesday that by being attentive in class, completing homework and studying, they'll get good grades, get into college and be successful in life.

"When you're in the classroom, it is about your future, and you need to be thinking if you want to go to college, you need to prepare yourself now," said Bryan Swann, of the Class of 1998, to nearly 50 underclassmen. "Your mind is your most powerful muscle. Why wouldn't you exercise it?"

Swann and his identical twin brother, Ryan Swann, both 29 and of Silver Spring, were salutatorian and valedictorian, respectively, of their graduating class. The brothers returned to the school to give a motivational speech as part of the school's college application week, which ends Friday.

Largo High's "R U Ready" series, part of "College Going Culture Month," focuses on preparing for college and life. The Swanns also will sit on a panel discussion Friday.

"When students look at me with their eyes wide open, that's when I know I've done my job and I feel better. The goal is to develop leaders," Bryan Swann said. "We want to give back to the kids of our area that took care of us."

Ryan Swann is a senior advisor of business intelligence for the U.S. Department of the Treasury; Bryan is a specialist for the White House Military Office. The brothers regularly do motivational speaking.

Tenth-grader Isac Ajamlekoko, 15, of Upper Marlboro said the speech inspired him.

"I've been procrastinating for a little bit," Isac said. "He said that his mother instilled in him, at a young age, drive. A lot of people need to get that lesson: to never give up."

Tenth-grader Bryana Thomas, 15, of Upper Marlboro also said the speech made a lasting impression.

"He said when you do what other people don't, you'll get what other people can't," Bryana said. "When you have an education, your horizon is endless."

Largo High, the 2009 recipient of the Deloitte/College Summit College Going Culture Award, is the only school in the county with a college application week. The school is among 11 in the county that participate in the national College Summit program, which works with schools and colleges to raise college enrollment rates.

College Summit was piloted at three schools in the county during the 2005-2006 school year and has grown since.

Leelannee Malin, Largo High's College Summit and testing coordinator, estimates about 85 percent of the senior class' 336 students participate in the College Summit program. Thirty-seven seniors are peer leaders, up from the 22 last year.

Peer leaders help students in the school traverse the college application process under a Prince George's County Public Schools peer leadership program partnership to help create a college-bound culture.

"Last year, we focused on sending kids to college. This year, we're preparing kids globally, for after college [too]," Malin said.

Senior Deja King, 17, of Upper Marlboro, one of two peer leader student coordinators, said College Summit helps students with the college process, including applications, essays, resumes and transcripts.

"Ninth- and tenth-graders get the experience to get ahead," King said. "I didn't get that in ninth-grade."

Another part of college application week is all seniors must submit three college applications by Friday with the goal of 750 applications being sent, Malin said, an increase over last year's 500 applications sent.

"We're upping the ante," Malin said.

E-mail Liz Skalski at eskalski@gazette.net.