AVID and First-Generation Scholars Club assist UC High students in filling out their college applications, aiming to make the process more easy to comprehend and complete.
For the past few years, the First Generation Scholars Club has been hosting workshops where professionals will assist members with the college application process. “We provide workshops and specialized curriculums from our summer program that are provided to all members, as well as taking professional help and dispersing it to the greater crowd. We also had a UC PIQ workshop where students came in during lunch, and we walked them through the UC application and every PIQ question, along with strategies and a space to get work done,” said First Generation Scholars President Senior Tayler Nguyen.
History Teacher and First Generation Scholars Club Advisor Michele Fournier said, “First Gen Scholars is a club founded here in San Diego by a man named Johnathan Burgos, who is working with schools over the Sweetwater Union District as well as San Diego Unified
School District.”
Fournier added, “The club is proficient in helping students who are the first in their families to attend college with the whole college process and financial aid. [Burgos] also does a big summer program where kids can get started on their college applications before their senior year, as well as events in San Diego, such as college fairs. He is their biggest resource outside their school.”
“Tayler runs the meetings, I have to be honest he is the most dedicated club president I have ever had in 34 years of teaching. He investigates opportunities for students, he comes very well prepared, he has all kinds of information and is directly connected with Johnathan the head of first-gen, and is always there for students needing help,” said Fournier. Nguyen said, “First Gen is more of a community run by students, unlike other clubs. I myself attended the summer programs, so I am able to relay the information.”
Likewise, AVID is a club committed to supporting students with their college application process. English Teacher and AVID Advisor Jennifer Huszar said, “AVID is a college preparatory elective designed to help students who want to go to college but need extra help to achieve their college dreams. We typically look for first-generation college students or students who might be taking their first AP or advanced class and might need extra help. We also look for students who are in the academic middle.”
AVID President Senior Ava Schreier elaborated on the process of helping students with the applications. Schreier said, “AVID does tutorials which are seniors who choose to do tutorials on college applications. So you’ll be filling out any type of college application with other seniors as well as Mrs. Huszar who has students from SDSU or UCSD who come down and provide aid in our class.”
When asked how she provides support, Huszar said, “I help in two ways. In a large group, I would give advice like what they should be working on at the moment. But I also work with individuals. I have some students who are applying to specialized colleges and need help with a specific kind of college application. So I’m able to meet one-on-one with my students frequently and often those conferences are looking at their process at the moment.”
AVID provides more than assistance on college applications. Schreier said, “Something that people in AVID can expect to gain is meeting new people as well as being more educated about what college is and what you want to do in your future.”