Camp at Firebaugh High Prepares Students for College Application Process

The following is an official announcement from the Lynwood Unified School District:

As the small group of students exited the Firebaugh High School classroom on a humid and overcast summer day, they expressed a sense of relief that they had dedicated the last week to learning about the long and decision-heavy college application and acceptance process.

The Firebaugh High School seniors attended a four-day summer camp July 8-11 through the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) to learn about the college application process, including deadlines, financial aid, how to search for higher education institutions and majors and other basic skills to get them through their first steps into adulthood.

"This was so helpful and it lifted a big weight off my shoulders," said 17-year-old Rebeca Menses, an incoming Firebaugh senior. "I was stressed about how I would get financial aid and meet deadlines, but this camp gave me everything I needed to know."

Cal-SOAP is a state legislated program designed to help students improve their academic performance and make information on post-secondary education and financial aid options more widely available for students and families.

Lynwood Unified began its partnership with Cal-SOAP in the 2012-13 school year in order to provide additional resources and support for students as they make the important steps to pursue higher education. Part-time Cal-SOAP advisers, who are undergraduate students at local universities, develop relationships with the students they mentor at both Lynwood and Firebaugh high schools.

"It's so important that we give our students every chance to succeed in life after high school," said Board of Education President Maria G. Lopez. "By providing them with this extra support, we're ensuring that they have everything they need to accomplish their hopes and dreams for their future."

The partnership is also in line with one of the many goals of Lynwood Unified's Achieving Greatness Initiative, which specifically calls for coordinated learning support systems, interventions and resources that make a university education more accessible for students.

"We have so much confidence in our Lynwood students and their ability to compete with the top performing students across the country," said LUSD Superintendent Paul Gothold. "This is just one of many ways we’re showing our support while continuing to implement our strategic plan."

The Cal-SOAP summer camp featured varying topics each day, including the application process, financial aid, writing admissions essays and obtaining letters of recommendation and an overview of college life. Students were encouraged to diligently research colleges with the message that no opportunity was out of reach if they accessed the right resources. In addition, representatives from the University of New Mexico, Occidental College and Devry University made presentations to Firebaugh students.

"Our goal is to give students an overview of what to expect in the application process," said Nicole Korgie Jackson, director of the Cal State Long Beach Cal-SOAP program, which provided the summer camp. "We want to give them a realistic timeline so that they're not overwhelmed and feel that they can accomplish this great task."