Community Column: Early access helps alleviate education obstacles

2019年2月19日

Dr. 罗伯特·加尔萨

Access to education has been a fundamental part of 帕洛阿尔托学院's mission since our founding in the 1980s. We know a person's education can provide foundational skills to a better career, experiences that enrich a person's overall perspective, and opportunities that can change lives. As a pillar of our community, we believe higher education should be something that everyone can achieve, regardless of social or economic status.

With funding from educational grants from the U.S. Department of Education TRIO programs — Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math Science, and Talent 搜索 — 帕洛阿尔托学院 has been able to provide high school students with individually focused, intensive programming geared toward helping them navigate their journey through high school and college, alleviating obstacles many students face as the first in their families to attend college.

每年, 关闭 to 80 students from Lytle, Jourdanton, Poteet, and Pleasanton High Schools participate in 帕洛阿尔托学院's TRIO Upward Bound project, which is designed to encourage underserved students to pursue a college education immediately after graduating high school. Students in Upward Bound are encouraged through year-round and summer academic support and tutoring in five core areas — reading, 写作, 数学, 科学, and foreign language. Students also learn through field trips, volunteer opportunities and workshops.

The TRIO Upward Bound Math and Science program (UBMS) provides tutoring, advising and test preparation for students from East Central High School. UBMS students are provided opportunities to explore STEM programs beyond high school, including intensive summer programs in undergraduate scientific research under the guidance of university graduate students and faculty.

In TRIO Talent 搜索, 500 students from all four high school grade levels at Southwest High School each year receive financial literacy education, information on state and federal financial aid programs, assistance in completing financial aid applications, and college admissions support to ensure students graduate from high school and complete their higher education.

这些项目, along with our seven early college high schools and more than 25 dual credit partner schools, help us continue to expand the opportunities for our South Side community.

帕洛阿尔托学院 has remained dedicated to providing equal opportunities and resources for our community to continue their education and earn a college degree, and we will continue to work together to create more pathways for education.

这是博士的专栏. 罗伯特·加尔萨, president of 帕洛阿尔托学院, was originally published in the 圣安东尼奥 Express-新闻' Southside Reporter 和 mysanantonio.com.