Fall break marked the third year of Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood (CVPromise) Campus Crawl. About 40 high school juniors and seniors from Hilltop High School (HTHS) and Castle Park High School (CPHS) traveled out of San Diego County, many for the first time. The two-day trip took them to Northern California to visit Stanford University, San Francisco State University, University of California Santa Cruz and University of California Berkeley. The students will be first in their families to attend college.
On the trip, students met with school leadership to learn details about curriculum, majors and college life. A special aspect to this trip was meeting CPHS and HTHS alumni attending many of the campuses student’s visited. Alumni provided a unique connection and provided tours and answered questions.
Walking around a college campus can also give students a feel for what college is really like. Many of these students would not have been able to afford to visit these schools.
Students explored every aspect of the campuses including college dorm rooms, classrooms and resident hall cafeterias. Part of the trip assignment was to complete a report on their experience, which included interviewing leadership and college students on campuses.
“Students received tips, learned about various experiences and paths to college,” Jose Mireles, South Bay Community Services Program Manager said. “They were surprised to learn that everyone had a story and some challenges too, but most importantly college was possible and attainable.”
The trip also included a surprise pit stop at the Golden Gate Bridge. Students were able to experience a setting that they had only seen in print.
“It was freezing, but worth it,” David Olivera, South Bay Community Services Program Director said. “These kind of experiences are important for the students.”
Among the additional supports offered to students and their families are SAT and ACT prep courses, financial aid workshops, research and presentations of colleges and most importantly that one-on-one interaction with the whole family.
Fall is a busy time for high school seniors and their parents. There are SAT and ACT exams to take before deadlines; college essays to write; letters of recommendation to collect; and completing and submitting applications.
For more information about CVPromise Academic Advocate program and resources during this college season, visit www.CVPromise.org.
CVPromise is coordinated by South Bay Community Services and is proud to partner with Castle Park Elementary, Castle Park Middle, Castle Park High School, Hilltop Middle and Hilltop High School to bring new opportunities and pathways of success for their students and families. For more information, please visit CVPromise.org or call (619) 422-5005.
