College Empowerment Program Summative Report 2018 - 2019
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P U P I L S E R V I C E S College Empowerment Program Summative Report 2018 - 2019 Elsy Rosado Director, Pupil Services Selena Barajas-Ledesma, MSW, Ed.D. Assistant Director, Pupil Services Daniel Ochoa, Ed.D. Specialist, Pupil Services
Transcript of College Empowerment Program Summative Report 2018 - 2019
P
UPIL SERVIC
ES
College Empowerment Program Summative Report
2018 - 2019
Elsy RosadoDirector, Pupil Services
Selena Barajas-Ledesma, MSW, Ed.D.Assistant Director, Pupil Services
Daniel Ochoa, Ed.D.Specialist, Pupil Services
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COLLEGE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM
2018 – 2019 SUMMATIVE REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................3
PROGRAM GOALS ...........................................................................................................................3
DESIRED OUTCOMES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4
2018 – 2019 PROGRAM OUTCOMES………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
PROGRAM INPUTS ...........................................................................................................................6
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES .....................................................................................................................6 Targeted Student Population Demographics ........................................................................................ 7 Disaggregated Targeted Student Population Data ................................................................................ 7
PROGRAM OUTPUTS .......................................................................................................................8
PROGRAM EMERGING THEMES .......................................................................................................8
PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS ................................................................................................9
APPENDICES APPENDIX A: STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................................10 APPENDIX B: SCHOOLS BY ZONES ..............................................................................................................11
APPENDIX C: 2018-19 Program Outputs………………………………………………………………………….……………….12 APPENDIX D: CESSWs’ Student Testimonials…………………………………………………………………………………..13 APPENDIX E: CESSWs’ Systemic Advances ………………………………………………………………………………………26
Mission Statement:
To implement strategies that enhance college-going school cultures and provide
underrepresented students and families with the motivation, knowledge and skills aimed
to increase student access to higher education opportunities and build their capacity to
become college-ready.
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Introduction
The following is a summative evaluation of the 2018 – 2019 school year to assess progress towards
program goals. The College Empowerment Program (CEP) is a collaborative effort between the Division
of Student Health and Human Services and Division of Instruction to increase college access and college
completion among LAUSD graduates. The program was funded by the College Readiness Block Grant
Initiative (CRBG), under the California Department of Education, which was established by Senate Bill
828 of June 2016. The CRBG provided funds to local educational agencies that reported unduplicated
targeted student pupils (students in foster care, experiencing homelessness, living in poverty and
English Language Learners) in grades nine through twelve during the 2015-16 school year. The purpose
of the grant is to increase the number of students who enroll at higher education institutions and
complete bachelor’s degree within four years.
Program Goals
The illustration below highlights five key elements that structure the program goals.
CEP Goals
Awareness
Eligibility
PreparednessAccess
Fulfillment
The five elements are defined as the following:
Awareness
o Increase awareness and understanding of
post-secondary options and resources
Eligibility
o Increase passage of A-G courses with a C
or better and completion of requirements
necessary for college entrance and success
Preparedness
o Increase student aspirations and beliefs in
college attainment and develop
knowledge, skills, dispositions, and
attributes necessary for post-secondary
success
Access
o Increase college access for
underrepresented populations and
activities related to college planning,
admission, and financial aid
Fulfillment
o Increase number of students enrolling,
attending, persisting, and completing
college
“[I work with a student who] qualifies for AB
540 status…I provide [the student] intensive
case management for college admissions
tasks…thus far, the student has been
accepted to CSUN, CSULA and CSUDH.”
- Lissette Gomez-Solano, CESSW
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Desired Outcomes
2018 – 2019 Program Outcomes
The following graph shows 2018 – 2019 program outcomes as they relate to the total number of
students from the CESSWs’ targeted student population (TSP) who applied to colleges/universities and
completed FAFSA/CA Dream Act applications.
11578
2111
1 10 100 1000 10000 100000
No. of College / UniversityApplications
No. of FAFSA / CA Dream ActApplications
TSP College / University Applications & FAFSA / CA Dream Act Applications
The following describes the desired program outcomes:
Increase the percentage of targeted students who are on-
track to meet college entrance requirements (A-G with a
C or better), meet high school graduation requirements
and who apply for financial aid and enroll/persist in
college
Increase the number of college application submissions
for students in specialized populations
Increase the number of FAFSA and financial aid
submissions and completions for students in specialized
populations
Increase the percentage of students in specialized
populations who are aware of post-secondary options as
reflected in the school experience survey
Identify students who qualify for exemptions from District
graduation requirements as appropriate
Reduce chronic absenteeism for students in specialized
populations in tier 1 or on track to graduate
“[The student] and his
family came to the U.S.
four years ago…and
appears to lack motivation
to engage in the college
application process…I
provide frequent, almost
daily support to complete
the CSU application, EOP
essays for admission, CA
Dream ACT and CAL Grant
applications…[Due to the
student’s] concern for
deportation, I also referred
the family to legal
services.”
- Krista Lombard-Conley,
CESSW
“[The student’s] mother
expressed her gratitude to
[me] by stating that it
helped her tremendously to
know the [higher ed]
systems that her daughter
was applying to as well as
how the U.S. higher
education worked.”
- Nancy Soto, CESSW
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In addition, the graph below illustrates the types of higher education institutions students applied to
and their acceptances.
The graph below also depicts the total number of non-TSP students supported by CESSW’s.
2601
6113
767486
1611
699
3062
333 225
1431
UC CSU Private College/Univ. Out-of-StateCollege/Univ.
Community College
TSP Higher Ed Applications & Acceptances
No. of Applications No. of Acceptances
722
410
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
No. of College / University Applications
No. of FAFSA / CA Dream Act Applications
Non-TSP College / University Applications & FAFSA / CA Dream Act Applications
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Program Inputs
Inputs are human, financial, and organizational resources a program incorporates to accomplish
program objectives. The figure below depicts the pertinent resources ascribed to the program.
Program Activities
Program activities are the processes, events, and actions that are the intentional parts of program
implementation. These activities are used to bring about the desired outcomes. The College
Empowerment Program activities are structured in a multi-tiered system of support to strategically
address student needs.
Human
• AssistantDirector
• Specialist
• 10 CESSW's inIdentified Zones
• 1 PSA Aide
Financial
•Division ofInstruction
•College ReadinessBlock Grant
•Pupil Services
Organizational
•MiSiS
•Focus
•Naviance
•DistrictPartnerships
•CommunityPartnerships
Intensive Support
Targeted Support
Universal Support
“I worked towards transitioning the [student’s] fixed
mindset into a more growth mindset…the student learned
that it is perfectly normal to advocate for one self, ask for
help, and work through challenges instead of giving up.”
- Jacqueline Olivo, CESSW
“I proceeded to validate
the student’s feelings
and decided to take a
solution-focused
approach by focusing on
her goal of attending
college and the options
that she had at this point
to fulfill her goal.”
- Maria Olvera, CESSW
See Appendix A for
program Strategic
Framework
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Targeted Student Population (TSP) Demographics
Program activities include data reviews to keep abreast of student population/performance trends in efforts to inform program practices and the allocation of resources. The target population that was served by the College Empowerment School Social Workers are seniors (including 5th year seniors) identified as CSU On-Track or Tier 1 (students identified as being 1-2 A-G courses behind). The TSP also include students in foster care, living in poverty, experiencing homelessness and English Language Learners. The following graph shows the total number of students that were targeted by CESSW’s during the 2018 – 2019 school year from their respective Zones.
It should be noted that due to having the highest targeted student population a Pupil Services Aide was
allocated to Zone 5 to assist the CESSW with program activities.
Disaggregated targeted student population data. The following graph illustrates how the
CESSWs’ TSP was disaggregated among the specialized student populations during the 2018 – 2019
school year.
It should be noted that CESSWs also serve undocumented/immigrant students who require tailored
supports in efforts to increase their access to higher education opportunities.
192
265
315
105
6
372
235
205
182
152
293
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Zone 1
Zone 2
Zone 3
Zone 4
Zone 4/5
Zone 5
Zone 6
Zone 7
Zone 8
Zone 9
Zone 10
TSP Cohorts by Zones 2018 - 2019
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165
180
262
2234
1 10 100 1000 10000
Students in Foster Care
Students Experiencing Homelessness
Students Serviced by SpEd
English Language Learners
Students Identified by Poverty Indicator
TSP Cohort Specialized Student Populations
2018 - 2019
See Appendix B for the list of
schools designated under each
Zone
“The student became
a foster youth…I work
with [him] on
improving his self-
efficacy, problem-
solving and life
skills…”
- Jill Chandler, CESSW
“The student wanted to
abandon all college
plans and run away [due
to her experience of
abuse]…I focused on
interventions to increase
her self-esteem and
coping skills.”
- Abel Villaseñor, CESSW
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Program Outputs
Program outputs are the direct products of program activities, which include the types of services
rendered by the CESSWs. The following graph depicts highlights of the outputs that were completed by
the CESSWs during the 2018 – 2019 school year.
Program Emerging Themes
The CESSWs identified emerging themes through the course of serving their targeted student
populations and their families. These themes present themselves as challenges and barriers that inhibit
the students’ progress towards accessing higher education opportunities. To counteract these
challenges, CESSWs have applied their social work skills and facets from the program’s Strategic
Framework to produce positive student outcomes. The diagram below illustrates the identified themes.
111324680
1592
1376 252
CEP Output Highlights 2018 - 2019
Student Contacts / IndividualCounseling
Community & Staff Consultations
Student Groups / InformationalPresentations
Parent / Caregiver Engagement -Presentations / Mtgs / Contacts
Group Counseling Sessions - SkillBuilding
CEP Themes
Self-Efficacy
Life Skills
Self-Advocacy
Parent Support &
Engagement
Crisis
Culture & Class
See Appendix C for complete
data report related to CESSW
outputs for the 2018 – 19 school
year
“I provided guidance,
resources and information to
support [the student’s]
college pathway.”
- Maria “Toni” Zaroyan,
CESSW
“[The student] was grief stricken [due to
the loss of her father]…I provided interventions and support centered
around the goal of supporting the
student’s self-care and self-efficacy.”
- Elsa Garcia-Sanda, CESSW
See Appendix D for CESSW testimonials,
which further highlight the emerging
themes
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Program Improvement Efforts
Program improvement efforts, for the 2019 – 2020 school year, will focus on the following areas:
Data Collection Methods
Qualitative data. The program will build data collection processes that focus on qualitative data
to capture changes in school site staffs’ and students’ perceptions, attitudes and beliefs as a result of
the work produced by the CESSWs. Developmental plans include the distribution of pre/post surveys
and conducting focus groups with various stakeholders.
Professional Development
CESSWs will continue participate in opportunities that will enhance their knowledge of working with
students from specialized populations along with undocumented/immigrant students as it pertains to
improving their academic performance, personal/social development, and their access to higher
education opportunities. In addition, CESSWs will participate in professional development opportunities
that will further enhance their understanding of higher education systems and financial aid processes.
Furthermore, CESSWs will participate in opportunities that will increase their understanding of state,
local and District policies that are relevant to their job functions.
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Appendix A
Strategic Framework
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Appendix B
Schools by Zones
Zone 1
Metropolitan Continuation High
Nava College Preparatory Academy
Thomas Jefferson Senior High
Zone 2
Miguel Contreras Learning Complex - Acdemic Ldrshp Community
Miguel Contreras Learning Complex - Business and Tourism
Miguel Contreras Learning Complex - LA Sch of Global Studies Miguel Contreras Learning Complex - School of Social Justice Harris Newmark Continuation
Zone 3
Santee Education Complex Frida Kahlo Continuation
Zone 4
Dr Maya Angelou Community Senior High
Zone 4/5
Central Continuation High
Zone 5
Diego Rivera Learning Complex Communication & Technology
Diego Rivera Learning Complex Green Design STEAM Academy
Diego Rivera Learning Complex Performing Arts
Diego Rivera Learning Complex Public Service Community
Zone 6
John C Fremont Senior High John Hope Continuation
Zone 7
Felicitas And Gonzalo Mendez Senior High Hilda L Solis Learning Academy Boyle Heights Continuation
Zone 8
Augustus F Hawkins SH - Community Health Advocates School
Augustus F Hawkins SH - Critical Design and Gaming School
Augustus F Hawkins SH - Responsible Indigenous Soc Entrprenr
Youth Opportunities Unlimited
Zone 9
Cal Burke High School
Panorama Senior High
Zone-10
James Monroe Senior High James Monroe Senior High Police Orientation & Prep Prog OLC Albert Einstein Continuation
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Appendix C
2018 – 2019 Program Outputs
MTSS Program Activities Totals
Un
ive
rsal
Sup
po
rts
Recognition / Events 204
School -Wide Assessment / Planning 610
Staff / Professionals - Informational Presentations / Professional Dev. 220
Parent/Caregiver - Informational Mtgs 126
Student Presentations 489
Mass Communications 1547
Targ
ete
d
Sup
po
rts
Parent/Caregiver - Informational Presentations 130
Staff/Other Professionals Informational Mtgs / Professional Dev. 243
Group Counseling Sessions 252
Student Targeted Groups / Informational Presentations 1103
Targeted Communications 785
Collaborative Consultation 1848
Inte
nsi
ve S
up
po
rts
Crisis Interventions / Threat Assessments 55
Student Contacts / Individual Counseling 11132
Multidisciplinary Groups / Case Presentations 125
Staff Consultations 2832
Parent Contacts 1120
Home Visits 109
Individual / Family Referrals (School & Community Based) 734
Individ. Assessment / Monitor / Review Case Records 13581
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Appendix D
CESSWs’ Student Testimonials
For confidentiality purposes, pseudonyms were used to reference students. CESSWs provided testimonials that described the background of a student to include their needs, barriers and challenges. CESSWs also described how they mitigated the student’s barriers by highlighting their efforts related to improving student self-efficacy, self-advocacy, parent engagement, addressing culture & class, providing crisis intervention, developing life skills, and promoting social belonging. Finally, CESSWs described student outcomes as a result of their applied supports/interventions.
Jill Chandler, CESSW @ Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
J.R. is a senior that attends high school at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex in Downtown Los
Angeles. The summer before his freshman year, J.R.’s life changed forever when he was abandoned
by his father and became a foster youth. He was assigned a DCFS case worker and required to make
multiple court appearances. His attendance at school began to suffer and he fell behind academically.
During this time, he had difficulty concentrating as he worried for his future and tried to cope with
the loss of his father. He described his mind as racing and full of endless thoughts. He remained a
ward of court until a few months prior to his 16th birthday when his paternal uncle became his legal
guardian. He is currently under kinship care. He has no contact with either of his birth parents and his
father moved out of the country.
This school year, I have met with J.R. over a dozen times. Initially, I reached out to let him know that I
was available to support him in his pursuit of a post-secondary education and a resource to learn
about his career interests and long-term goals. He wants to get a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and
then transfer to UCLA to get his Master’s degree in Social Work. He aspires to work with youth who
have become disenfranchised and experienced loss as a way to give back to the social workers who
have supported him through his trials.
After meeting a few more times, we built a great rapport as J.R. learned I was someone he could
count on and was willing to advocate on his behalf so he could attend college. He now reaches out to
me on a regular basis, sometimes even twice a week. I provide one-on-one college and academic
counseling, intensive case management, advocacy, outreach for resources and emotional support.
Additionally, I work with J.R. on developing self-efficacy, problem-solving and life skills so he can take
care of himself once he leaves Miguel Contreras and goes to college.
Together, we completed his CSU, FAFSA and Chafee applications, set up his college portals, and
responded to requests from the financial aid and EOP offices when asked to provide verification of his
foster youth/independent student status. We are also researching foster youth scholarships and will
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work on his applications together. I have contacted various entities on his behalf including DCFS,
FAFSA, CSULA Admissions, CSULA Guardian Scholars, San Jose Guardian Scholars, Foster Youth
Achievement Counselor, and more.
J.R. was admitted to two of the four California State Universities he applied to: CSU Los Angeles
(CSULA) and CSU Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). Unfortunately, because his GPA slightly dropped during
the first semester of senior year, his admittance to CSULA was withdrawn. J.R. wanted to do
everything possible to attend CSULA as it was his first choice school so he decided to appeal this
decision. Together, we worked on his appeal application and I provided him with a letter of support.
He also advocated for support from his academic counselor who provided him with a letter of
support as well. Additionally, I contacted the CSULA Guardian Scholars program, our CSULA Outreach
representative and Admissions seeking guidance and assistance. Despite our best efforts, he did not
prevail on his appeal request which made J.R. feel hopeless and withdrawn.
Over the next several counseling sessions, we processed J.R.’s feelings of self-doubt and reoccurring
thoughts of being a failure. Through reflective listening and implementation of cognitive behavioral
strategies, J.R. was able to reframe his feelings of loss and take a more solution-focused approach to
overcoming this new challenge. During this time, J.R. decided attending CSU Dominguez Hills was not
an option for him. CSUDH was his back up school. He felt he would be settling if he went to college
there and he would not be passionate about his studies. He had bigger aspirations. His true dream
was to go to a UC with UCLA being his top choice but never applied as his GPA and SAT scores were
not high enough. We discussed the possibility of attending community college and improving his
grades so he could apply to UCLA. Together we began researching community colleges and pathways
to successfully transferring to four-year University. We also looked at the support services and
resources each local community college could provide and discussed the benefits of the California
College Promise Grant. With each appointment, hope returned and his optimism for the future
continued to grow.
After doing his due diligence, J.R. decided to enroll at East Los Angeles Community College as a
sociology major. He is participating in their Adelanto First Year Experience program and has applied
to their NextUp Foster Youth program. Through NextUp, he is eligible for tutoring, mentoring, book
loans, computer lab access, a food pantry, educational planning and more. He will also attend their
summer bridge program and plans to meet with a college counselor regularly to stay on track to
transfer to a UC in two years. J.R. is determined to graduate from a 4-year university and get a
master’s degree. He will not let anything or anyone deter him from this goal.
Since we have started working together, I have seen J.R. grow emotionally and in maturity. He is
more confident, advocates for himself, and has demonstrated persistence. He never misses a
deadline, completes all tasks in timely and thoughtful manner, has even helped his girlfriend
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complete her college applications, and encourages her to stay on track. He is also hopeful for the
future, seeks support when needed and overall seems more joyful. I am proud of all of his efforts and
look forward to seeing what the future holds for him.
Elsa Garcia-Sanda, CESSW @ Dr Maya Angelou Community Senior High
Like many other seniors on-track to graduate at Dr. Maya Angelou Community High School, Ana
recently completed several applications to her dream colleges in hopes of a better future. She is
quite anxious about the results. Ana is an inner-city student currently living with her grandmother in
South Los Angeles. She has made many sacrifices and has come a long way on her journey from
Oaxaca, Mexico. She admits she has been waiting for this moment to arrive. She realizes that a
college education can provide her with opportunities she was not originally destined to receive. She
has worked very hard to get to this point and she has been worried sick about the outcome.
It was a little over a year ago when Ana received a call that would change her life forever. Ana’s
father had been kidnapped and held for ransom by a group of thugs in an attempt to extort money
from his family. After a month of turmoil, Ana’s family received gruesome details about her father’s
body having been found dead on the side of the road. Ana was grief stricken and felt an enormous
amount of guilt. This is because she had left her family behind in an effort to obtain an education.
Ana is a U.S. Citizen but she was taken to Mexico during infancy and raised in her family’s hometown.
While there, Ana experienced barriers to accessing education very early in childhood. The
environment was filled with numerous challenges including political and civil unrest, financial
instability, and limited opportunities for women. She made the journey to California, entered high
school as an English Language Learner, and worked hard to learn a new language and adjust to a new
way of life in the United States.
As a trained social worker, I am able to address social and psychological issues that may arise during
the college application process. In Ana’s case, I provided interventions and supports centered around
the goal of supporting the student’s self-care and self-efficacy. Although Ana has excelled in school
and is in the top five percentile of students on campus, she sometimes experiences doubts and
insecurities that can endanger and sabotage her success. Expertly trained in using a trauma-lens
approach, I have been able to assist Ana through emotional turmoil that the college application
process has triggered. This has best been exemplified in the process of helping Ana prepare her
personal statements and UC Personal Insight Questions which encourage students to open up about
life experiences that have helped shaped them into who they are. For Ana who has not only worked
on adapting to a new country but also experienced trauma and loss, recalling and writing about those
events was a cathartic experience, but it has also been a painful one. I have been a source of support
and encouragement in helping Ana express her feelings and re-frame purpose into her life
experiences.
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I have also been helpful in allowing the student to discuss vulnerabilities that have come up for her as
she begins to transition from high school to college. As a soon-to-be first generation college student,
Ana has begun to experience feelings associated with imposter syndrome such as self-doubting,
undermining her accomplishments, not feeling like she belongs, and unworthiness. I have worked at
validating her accomplishments and assisted Ana in identifying her personal strengths and positive
coping strategies. Using a values affirmation approach, I have also assisted Ana in affirming her core
personal values. I have applied interventions aimed at bolstering her perception of personal integrity
and self-worth, which will hopefully empower her for future challenges.
In sum, Ana applied to sixteen post-secondary schools: eight California public universities and eight
private institutions throughout the United States. She was admitted to eleven of those schools. Her
top two choices became: University of California, Berkeley and George Washington University in
Washington DC. Numerous invitations for further exploration of each campus was provided to Ana
and she spent considerable time researching each institution so that she could make a wise decision
of where she would attend. She was invited to be flown to George Washington University and given
a private tour of the institution. They offered her the highest and most competitive scholarship.
Each school gave her a generous financial aid package that would cover housing and tuition so
thankfully that did not become a deciding factor in her selection. In the end, she chose to attend
University of California, Berkeley to major in Business Administration because of its diverse campus.
She applied and got accepted as a Casa Magdalena Mora Theme Program resident where she will be
able to live with other Chicanx and Latinx students and successfully transition into life at UC Berkeley.
Ana was also selected as this year’s Maya Angelou CHS Valedictorian. Graduation was a bittersweet
experience for her as reminders of her father’s loss was brought to the forefront. Her address to the
audience was so moving it brought everyone to tears. She knew her father was proud.
Lissette Gomez-Solano, CESSW @ Felicitas And Gonzalo Mendez Senior High
I have worked with Alex at Felicitas & Gonzalo Mendez HS who qualifies for AB 540 status. Alex was
born in Mexico. He has been living with his paternal uncle and aunt since he was born. His biological
parents gave custody to the uncle and aunt when he was born. There was never any legal paperwork
completed for his custody. In 2007, Alex migrated with his aunt to the United States to join his uncle.
In October 2018, when Alex found out about the documentation needed to complete his financial aid,
he began to worry because he has no contact with his biological parents. His aunt and uncle made an
appointment with me to discuss his personal circumstances and to inquire how to proceed with
completing his financial aid application. The family completed an (SRQ) Student Residency
Questionnaire to identify Alex as an Unaccompanied Youth. I provided intensive case management
for college admission tasks. I have also assisted Alex with applying to CSU’s and completing the
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California Dream Act Application as an independent student. I have guided him with completing the
Selective Service Form, submitting income affidavits for CSUN’s EOP program and gathering three
required letters to obtain Independent Status for financial aid at CSU Dominguez Hills. Every time
Alex is required to submit paperwork to Universities, he gets overwhelmed and nervous. I provide
reassurance and guidance through the process. One Friday afternoon, he was feeling very anxious, so
I encouraged him to play his favorite Spanish music in the college center. There were other EL
students in the College Center with him. Playing his music helped ease his stress and lighten up his
mood.
This student was accepted to all four Cal States, CSUN, CSULA, CSUDH and Cal Poly Pomona with a 2.7
GPA. This Fall, he will be attending CSULA and studying Geology. He really wanted to attend CSUN or
Cal Poly but it would have been too much of an economic hardship since he only qualifies for Cal
Grant B and commuting to any of the three other colleges via public transportation would have been
too difficult. This CESSW continued to support him, by helping him send his Selective Service
verification to the financial aid office, pay his commitment fee, sign up for freshman orientation, the
Early Start Program and navigating his CSULA portal. Student has a gap in his financial aid for the first
year. CSULA will provide the state university grant for $5742 and he will be responsible for $1022.
This CESSW provided student with information on various scholarships for undocumented youth and
nominated him for a Mendez HS Parent Center Scholarship of $250, which he received. In addition,
student’s aunt and uncle will help him pay the difference in tuition and books. Student was referred
to the Glazer’s Family Dreamers Resource Center at CSULA.
Krista Lombard-Conley, CESSW @ James Monroe Senior High
Ben is an 18 year old student who is originally from El Salvador. He and his family came to the US
four years ago. Ben lives with his mother, twin brother, grandmother and cousin. Ben has a 2.5 GPA
and has no clearly stated career path or ambition. His mother and grandmother work but Ben and his
brother do not. Ben reports that his mother is insistent that he attend college and not work.
Ben is shy and introverted and appears doubtful about his skills and abilities to be successful in
college. Ben’s brother describes him as lazy, however he appears to be less confident of his skills
than that of his twin brother. His GPA is lower than his brother and he appears to lack motivation to
engage in the college application process. One of the main concerns stated is their immigration
status. Ben reports that after a court date in December he has a deportation order. Ben appears
visibly worried, doubtful about his future and is considering following the advice of his lawyers to get
married.
Student attended field trips to CSUN and UC Santa Barbara where I chaperoned and provided access
to college campuses. I provided assistance to Ben for his SAT registration. I also referred him to
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tutoring. Ben was given a Remind App code to facilitate contact with me. He contacts me directly for
help with any questions. I provide frequent, almost daily support to complete the CSU application,
EOP essays for admission, CA Dream ACT and CAL Grant Application. I assisted Ben with sending his
SAT scores to CSU schools and first semester transcript to CSUN. I addition, I provided assistance to
him to create and navigate his CSUN student portal. I also supported Ben to respond to requests
made for residency verification from CSUN. Furthermore, I modeled self-advocacy through
contacting CSAC for assistance to correct errors to his Dream ACT Application. I supported him to
contact EOP office for income verification and complete various requests from CSUN admissions
office. I encouraged Ben to participate in club/support network on campus for undocumented and/or
newly arrived immigrant students. Moreover, I provided constant encouragement to complete the
application process and maintain hopefulness about his ability to get accepted to CSUN and receive
financial aid. After hearing about Ben’s concern for deportation, I referred the family to the local
Family Source Center to meet with the CARACEN staff to consult on their court case. I also consulted
LAUSD District staff and with several staff at our school including Healthy Start Representative who
linked the student to other legal services. The Healthy Start Director met with mother to provide
more resources and information.
Ben and his twin brother have both been admitted to CSUN with provisional admission. Ben, his
brother and mother are receiving services from the Healthy Start program at Monroe. Ben submitted
the financial aid applications and is waiting to hear about EOP Admissions interview process. I have
encouraged Ben to take advantage of the upcoming Explore CSUN event to visit CSUN with his family
for a tour of the campus. He is visibly more hopeful and is excited about his future as a CSUN
student. Ben also appears less fearful of deportation and has expressed his gratitude for my support.
After Ben received his provisional admission to CSUN we remained in regular communication as
questions arose regarding fulfilling any requests from CSUN. I provided Ben with support to access
his CSUN portal and complete the requested financial verification documents. Ben and his brother
were eventually invited for an interview with the EOP program at CSUN. I provided Ben with support
on how to prepare for the interview which decreased his anxiety and significantly increased his self –
confidence. Ben and his brother have been admitted to the CSUN EOP program and are eager to
start the summer bridge program through CSUN’s EOP program this June.
Jacqueline Olivo, CESSW @ Diego Rivera Learning Complex Communication & Technology
Richie is currently a senior student attending the Communication and Technology School within the
Diego Rivera Learning Complex. In mid-October, Richie met with me to an initial assessment. I had a
hard time comprehending why a student taking advanced placement classes refused to apply to four-
year colleges. Richie doubted he was a good student and believed college was not for him. He was
lacking self-confidence and believed he was not capable of being admitted to four-year institutions.
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Richie attended a predominantly white elementary and middle school. In 3rd grade, he was classified
as “Gifted” but he never felt he “fit in” or belonged in the gifted classes. It appears Richie was
suffering from the imposter syndrome. Despite the fact, Richie had been taking gifted, honors, and
advanced placement classes throughout his educational career; nonetheless, he doubted in his
academic abilities and accomplishments. I utilized motivational interviewing by putting into
perspective how many advanced, and honor classes Richie had successfully completed. It worked to
transition Richie’s fixed mindset into a more growth mindset in which the student learned and
continues to learn that it is perfectly normal to advocate for one self, ask for help, and work through
challenges instead of giving up.
In November, Richie applied to four California State University campuses. In addition, Richie
submitted his FAFSA application the first week of December. Finally, all the pieces were coming
together for Richie. As of today, Richie has been admitted to Cal State Northridge, Cal State Los
Angeles, and Cal State Dominguez Hills. Richie is currently waiting to be admitted into San Diego
State University (SDSU). It is Richie’s goal to move this Fall to sunny San Diego to start his college
career at his dream school…SDSU.
Unfortunately, Richie was not admitted to SDSU and felt as if his entire world collapsed. It was very
difficult for Richie to understand that he was not going to be moving to San Diego as he had planned.
He was very disappointed and upset with everyone. At the time, Richie believed he was not a “good
enough” student for college and decided he was not pursuing a college degree anymore. Richie and I
met several times to discuss his college decision however, he simply needed time to cope and process
with the SDSU admissions rejection. After Richie was able to accept that SDSU was not an option for
him, he was able to see that he had additional educational options and started to consider them.
On May 1st, Richie made the decision to attend California State University, Northridge (CSUN).
Although, at the beginning Richie was not very excited to attend CSUN, it turned out to be one of the
best decisions for him. CSUN offered him an additional scholarship thus, there was no need for him
to take out loans. Furthermore, several of his schoolmates will be attending CSUN this fall, which will
make his transition smoother and easier. Richie already attended orientation and is now waiting for
his registration date to enroll in his classes and begin his journey towards obtaining his degree in
economics and eventually becoming a Chief Executive Officer!
Maria Olvera, CESSW @ Augustus F Hawkins SH - Community Health Advocates School
I began to help a Latina female student in November with her CSU application process. The student
was faced with challenges from the start since we realized during the class review process that she
was missing A through G requirements due to obtaining some Ds. I proceeded by consulting with her
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Academic counselor once we reviewed her transcript and had a list of A through G courses that she
would need to retake. The counselor took note of those courses and we completed her CSU
application for CSUN and CSUDH adding the courses that she needed as planned for the spring
semester. It was clear to me, with that initial contact, that the student needed some direction and
support through this process.
That was the first and initial challenge that we had until the student came in a few weeks ago and
showed me the emails that she received from CSUN and CSUDH stating that she did not get accepted
into their campuses. CSUN stated that she did not get accepted because she missed the deadline to
submit her SAT scores by January 15th and CSUDH did not give her a specific response other than she
was not accepted due to self-reported information. The student was visibly upset and stated that she
felt like “such a failure”. She also stated that her parents did not care and that they would probably
not worry about it since they have never encouraged her to go to college. I proceeded to validate the
student’s feelings and decided to take on a solution-focused approach by focusing on her goal of
attending college and the options that she had at this point to fulfill her goal. We began by discussing
an application to LATTC and to look into the TAG program in order to guarantee a transfer to a one of
the UC partnership schools. That was one option and the other was to appeal the CSU’s admission
decisions. The student decided to do both so I assisted her with the LATTC application including the
LA Promise application and we began the process for the admission appeals. During this time I also
provided emotional support during this situational stress for the student. I took the opportunity to
discuss support systems and for the student herself to identify her own systems of support to help
her cope with difficult times. We discussed the impacts and the experiences of being first generation
college students. I provided psycho-education of the possible parental responses to their children
who are applying to colleges and how they may not feel able to provide support since they are not
well versed in the application process and how this can seem to the student as their parent not caring
when in fact they are extremely proud. I utilized Cognitive Behavior Therapy strategies interventions
such as reframing and relaxation techniques. The student seemed hopeful at this point and all that
was left to do was wait for responses to the appeals.
In February, the student came to the college center and showed me her emails, which stated that she
had been admitted to both CSUN and CSUDH! It was a very exciting time for her and I loved seeing
her happiness and hopefulness. She was thrilled and grateful for the support. I took this opportunity
to congratulate her and to also discuss life skills such as keeping track of deadlines and being
organized. I felt that this was a good opportunity for the student to take it as a learning experience of
the difficulties that can arise from not following through. The student was receptive and seemed to
understand the lesson that resulted from this situation. The student stopped by last week and
brought in one of her classmates who was interested in applying to LATTC and the student informed
her of the TAG program, which we had discussed before. The student stayed in the College Center
with her classmate and helped her with the application, which was a great thing to observe. I noticed
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that the student was being resourceful and willing to share information that she learned to help
someone else. I made sure to provide positive feedback about what I observed and pointed out the
importance of sharing what we know and giving back.
I have continued to work with the student and she is well on her way to CSUDH. She had her eyes set
on CSUN since she was captivated by the friendliness of the staff when she attended a family tour.
Her father informed her that he wanted her to remain at home since the financial aid would cover
almost all of the tuition and they could not afford for her to live on campus or rent an apartment near
the campus. We processed this information and the student was not too happy about not being able
to live on campus so she decided that she would commute. I helped the student problem solved by
creating a pro and con list between CSUN and CSUDH. We discussed the fact that she may be late to
class due to the unpredictable traffic and that if she had an early class she would have to leave extra
early just to make it considering traffic and parking as well as walking to her class. In the end the
student decided to commit to CSUDH and after her orientation date seemed very happy with her
decision since she also wants to work on campus to pay for whatever academic needs that she may
have. In conclusion the student has also made an early decision to obtain a Social Work degree. She
plans to get a BSW and pursue an MSW by applying for a CALSWEC program with the department of
children and family services. She was very grateful for the guidance and intense information that she
was provided and hopes to one day be “my colleague”.
Nancy Soto, CESSW @ Panorama Senior High
Annie is a 12th grade student who attends Panorama High School. Annie is the oldest in a family of 3
kids. Her parents have always been supportive of her schooling despite the fact that they are
immigrants from Mexico and do not understand the post-secondary (college) system in the United
States. On the outset, Annie seems happy and outgoing and takes a load of AP classes and challenges
herself. However, less than a year ago her father died suddenly and her world was changed forever.
Her father was the sole financial provider for the family as her mother stayed home as a housewife.
Annie was close to her father and has grieved him deeply. The school has provided this student a lot
of support, especially her academic counselor, college counselor and college social worker. The
college application process was especially stressful for Annie and when I worked with her, Annie
would break down in tears every time she had to fill in her father’s name for her college applications.
I worked privately with her to process her grief in addition to the normative stress that the college
application process created for her. In early fall, I made home visits to her mother to personally
explain the college process to Annie’s mother who said she felt completely “in the dark” and unable
to help her daughter in any way.
Because I am bilingual and speak Spanish fluently, the student’s mother was able to be included into
her daughter’s college application process. I highlighted to mom how despite the fact that mom
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herself had limited formal education and Annie would be the first in her family to attend college,
mom was still in a position to help her daughter by providing emotional support. Additionally, mom
expressed her gratitude to me by stating that it helped her tremendously to know the systems her
daughter was applying to as well as how the United States higher education worked. The mother was
also given information on how to help her daughter manage the feelings that came up in the first 6
months after her father’s sudden death. I arranged for Annie to have school-based counseling with a
social work intern. Annie was also placed as a College Tutor in the College Center where she could
have daily check-ins with me. Not only was I able to provide mom with psychoeducational
information about higher education, financial aid, and what to expect as her daughter waits to hear
about what school she is accepted to, but I also was able to use a systems approach in her psycho-
social assessment of the student and make sure that the family was receiving the social security
monetary benefits that Annie and her siblings qualify for since they lost the sole financial support of
her father when he died. Often times Annie asks me to please call her mother and explain, for
example, the difference between a Cal Grant and a loan because she feels that she cannot explain to
her as well as an adult can.
In working with me, Annie was able to process her feelings of loss, manage her anxiety at having to
navigate the unfamiliar systems of higher education, engage in parent outreach and work with mom
so that mom is brought into this process early on.
With 3 months left to go until the end of the school year, Annie has remained in her Advanced
Placement classes, keeps good attendance in school, and is passing her classes with A’s and B’s. Her
success has been the result of all the support Annie has received from me; she has benefited from a
school team that works together to ensure that Annie is on the radar of her academic counselor,
college counselor, her social work (intern) counselor- all the while I remain in consistent contact with
mom. Annie continues to attend her counseling sessions to process her loss in addition to process
the pending changes in her life as she looks forward to graduation and college. She applied to 10
universities (4 UCs, 4 CSUs and 2 private schools) and has already been accepted to Mount Saint
Mary’s University in Los Angeles.
Annie is a good example how utilizing a systems approach and focusing on student strengths, actively
engaging parents/caregivers and building on resiliency ensures overall student wellness and academic
success.
After having been accepted into 3 CSUs and 2 private schools, Annie has chosen to attend CSU
Northridge. Annie graduated with honors and a cumulative gpa of 3.6. Annie has applied as a
Sociology major with an interest in mental health and social work. Although her graduation day was
bittersweet as she felt the loss of her father, she was supported by her family, teachers, school
counselors and CESSW and enjoyed her graduation ceremony. She looks forward to the future where
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she could “help people who are suffering from sadness, depression and the undocumented”. We
have not doubt that Stephanie will meet her goal- in spades. Her success is a result of a collaborative
team effort at the school with the CESSW keeping in mind her mental health, academic and
psychosocial needs.
Abel Villaseñor, CESSW @ Santee Education Complex
Jennifer would come into the college center every day during second period to assist the college
counselors. This student like always had a smile, looked very happy, and was more than willing to
help with any assignments that was giving to her. She would carry on as if she had no worries in the
world. The College School Social worker (CESSW) soon found out that this pleasant, hard-working,
and intelligent girl had a terrible upbringing. Her lovely persona and personality was a façade.
Jennifer’s defense mechanism was to mask all the pain and the suffering she was holding inside.
Jennifer, at the age of 7 was woken up in the middle of the night by her mother to sneak out of their
home to run away from their abusive father. They both ran to a shelter were they spent close to 6
months hiding from her father. Jennifer’s father was an alcoholic and drug abuser who constantly
beat her mother and belittled and verbally abused Jennifer. Jennifer recalls that on most nights she
would hear the screaming and yelling coming from her parent’s room and would later find her
mother with bruises on her face or arms or with a bleeding nose. She remembers it very vividly.
After this painful and dramatic ordeal, Jennifer who thought her life would get better, continued to
be abused, not by her father but by her own mother. Mother began to despise her for looking like
and reminding her of her abusive husband. Her mother would blame her for everything that went
wrong. Jennifer could do nothing right and would be verbally abused or beating when she did not
obey or follow directions. She also has to be the perfect daughter and older sister to her younger
stepbrother and stepsister. Jennifer stated that it was obvious that her mother has moved on with
her new family and she has been the constant reminder of her mother’s abusive husband and
dreadful past.
One day Jennifer came in to see me in tears. I could see she was distraught and took her aside to
comfort her and validate her feelings. I did a quick Bio-psychosocial assessment to evaluate her
mental and physical wellbeing. During the consultation, Jennifer disclosed that she had an altercation
with her mother and was tired of her constant verbal abuse. She wanted to abandon all college plans
and run away.
Through therapeutic sessions, I have not only being a source of support for Jennifer but has also
focused the interventions on increasing her self-esteem and coping, solving strategies. This has
allowed Jennifer to express her feelings and focus on her fears and insecurities of possibly leaving her
home to attend college. Though Jennifer would like to live on campus to relieve her from her
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mother’s verbal insults, she also feels a sense of guilt for abandoning her younger siblings, for she has
always been a mother figure to them. I will continue to validate her accomplishments and reframe
her perception of what her role is in her home so she can make a clear conscious decision regarding
moving on to college.
Jennifer’s long term goals & dreams are to move on to college, to be able to choose her own clothes,
cut her long hair and wear make-up, things her mother has never allowed her to do. Jennifer has
been accepted to Mt Saint Mary’s, University of Oregon and to all of the Cal State Universities she has
applied to. She is waiting to hear from the Universities of California before making her final decision
of what university to attend.
As Jennifer’s final months of her senior year came to a close I would continuously check to see how
things were at home. Jennifer would state that things were much better due to her mother being sad
that she might leave to college. Jennifer and I continued to meet and I focused my intervention on
self advocacy and self esteem. Jennifer continued to do well academically and graduated with
honors. She will attend Mount St. Mary’s Nursing program in the Fall . She received several
scholarships amounting over $54,000 and has decided to take a huge step and dorm at school to give
her and her mother some space to heal and reconcile some of their differences. I am so proud of the
confident step Jennifer has made and know she will be a successful Undergrad in 2023.
Maria “Toni” Zaroyan, CESSW @ Nava College Preparatory Academy
Martin is a 17-year-old senior student, first generation enrolled at Nava College Preparatory
Academy. I met Martin last year when he used to go to the Jefferson High School College Center to
ask about College information and fly in programs. This school year, I had an opportunity to have
more contact with Martin since becoming a senior, through classroom presentations and conferences
with the student. Per Martin, his parents are immigrants who have struggled financially since they
came to the US. His family lives paycheck to paycheck and with the uncertainty of having long-term
employment. Martin’s childhood consisted of constant hospital trips due to asthma, and worries on
how his family was going to pay for medical bills and medication. Martin got his first job when he was
in the 9th grade, after his father lost his job and his mother could not pay their bills and rent. He
worked at a construction company doing different types of work; for a year, he spent his evenings
after school working a 5-hour shift every day. According to Martin, this job was hard and painful, he
had to work with concrete, which triggered his asthma many times and caused injuries to his hands.
Martin has missed a lot of school this year due to his severe asthma attacks and hospitalizations, and
worried that his condition will prevent him from going to College.
I used motivational interviewing skills when working with Martin, provided encouragement and role
modeled for him on how to advocate for himself when calling Colleges to get clarification on
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admission and financial aid issues. Because of the support Martin has received through Upward
Bound Dominguez Hills and UCLA after school program, he has focused on how to achieve his goals
and how to use the resources available to him at the High School and College. I have also provided
guidance, resources and information to support his College pathway, unfortunately parent
engagement has been unsuccessful since both parents work and have not attended parent meetings
or return my phone calls. Per Martin, his parents work long hours and they support him with his
College going plans.
The waiting period was difficult and painful for Martin as he saw peers receive their acceptance
letters to their colleges of choice. His top five schools (UCs and Privates) either denied or waitlisted
him.
Martin vented his frustration and sadness for not being able to achieve his goal during our
conferences. CESSW provided him the support, encouragement, and assistance to explore other
educational options (e.g. community colleges) to help lead towards a successful transfer to a UC
school.
Martin decided to attend Santa Monica College (SMC) after researching the school’s student transfer
rate to UC schools. He met with an SMC representative at Nava, applied online, and completed his
orientation. During this process, Martin sought support and feedback from CESSW on how to adapt
to his new path to college.
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CESSWs’ Systemic Advances
Below are narratives from CESSWs that describe the systemic advances that were made in their
respective zones during the 2018 – 2019 school year.
Jill Chandler, CESSW @ Zone 2
Throughout the year, at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, I worked diligently to increase
student and teacher knowledge about college access from the pre-application process through
college enrollment. This was done through classroom presentations on a variety of topics, including
but not limited to:
Pathways to Post-Secondary Education
A-G Requirements
Personal Strengths and Career Interest Inventory
Selecting a College Major
Application Process for Community College;
Application Process for Cal State Universities,
Application Process for UCs and Private Colleges
Writing Effective Responses to Personal Insight Questions
Applying to FAFSA/Dream Act
How to Pay for College
Scholarship searches and Effective Applications
Naviance Tools
Understanding your Financial Aid Award, Cost of Attendance and Creating a College Budget
Finding Services and Systems of Support on Campus
How to be a Successful First Generation College Student
Also, I made weekly visits to Advisory/College Pathway classes to make announcements, provide
reminders for upcoming college-related due dates or events and to provide individual consultations
to students. I also utilized Schoology and email to communicate with students, teachers and support
staff about college and community resources, deadlines, scholarships and other important post-
secondary reminders. Additionally, I provided on-going after school workshops to assist students
with applying to colleges (including community colleges), creating college portals, applying for
housing, registering for orientation and summer bridge, and to following up on their college
admittance to do lists. After school workshops were also conducted to assist students and parents
complete FAFSA and Dream Applications, review of financial aid awards and resolving problems with
financial aid applications or supporting documents requested by college financial aid offices.
I collaborated with 12th grade teachers (including AVID) to increase college access knowledge, develop classroom presentations that meet their students’ needs and to share resources to support
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students in pursuit of post-secondary education. I also provided individualized consultations to teachers who wanted to offer support to their students.
Outreach to both two and four year colleges and universities was also on-going throughout the year
in order to bring additional resources and support to the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex
students. College representatives provided presentations about their college or university,
participated in our campus-wide College and Career Day as well as provided after school college
application workshops.
Most students at Miguel Contreras Learning Complex face multiple barriers that could impact their
ability to apply and succeed in college such as being undocumented, living below the poverty line,
English Language Learners, foster youth and/or have a learning disability. Additionally, the majority
are also first generation college-going students. Research shows that first generation college
students often face additional barriers once they attend college, such as: guilt for leaving their
families behind, not knowing how to locate and access support services and completing college
within four years due to financial constraints. Therefore, I provided extensive case management
and one-on-one counseling to my student (over 1,300 one-on-one counseling meetings). During our
counseling appointment, I taught students coping and self-care strategies , modeled problem-solving
and self-advocacy skills, and reviewed with students how to access resources at their colleges.
Additionally, I connected students to college and community resources; assisted them with resolving
problems with college admissions, financial aid, and housing; locating scholarships; researching
college majors; enrolling in summer and fall classes; and organization and study skills.
Elsa Garcia-Sanda, CESSW @ Zone 4 & Zone 4/5
CESSW Intern Program to Improve College Access
The CESSW hosted two MSW graduate interns at Dr. Maya Angelou CHS this year to help strengthen
and expand college access services and resources on campus. Interns were recruited from UCLA and
USC’s nationally recognized graduate schools in social work. An internship program was developed to
train interns in school social work and college empowerment as they also earned hours toward their
MSW degree and PPSC and CWA credentials. This partnership proved to be fruitful as interns
enabled students to have wider access during school to someone who could guide them
appropriately through all complexities of college applications and ensure that they met timelines.
They were able to provide classroom outreach to all grade levels offering information to students
about post-secondary options in higher education. They provided direct services to college eligible
seniors and helped them apply to 4-year universities, guiding them through systems, and advocating
on their behalf. Additionally, they provided mental health support in the form of individual and group
counseling addressing socio-emotional issues impacting students as they pursue higher education.
Finally, MSW interns were able to participate committees and school-wide initiatives aimed at
improving college access.
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Unveiling School College Center as a Central Hub
A considerable amount of resources and attention was given to revamping the school’s College
Center to be able to give it a solid footprint on campus this year. It was moved to a larger, visible
classroom in a central location for students to have easy access for support and information. The
College Center technology was updated and equipped with 10 new desktop computer work stations,
30 chrome books, 4 laptop computers and two printers. Additionally, the College Center was
decorated with dozens of college banners and posters. Important college messaging was strategically
placed throughout the college center walls highlighting resources for DACA/AB540 students,
homeless students, and foster care students. This year, the College Center was used for dozens of
events aimed to promote college readiness, the college admissions process, and financial aid. It has
become a central hub for students to stop by to request college information, complete college
applications, apply for financial aid, meet with college representatives, search for scholarships, or
attend a workshop on college-related topics.
Implementing College and Career Readiness Curriculum
The CESSW assisted in efforts to promote Naviance- the district’s selected college and career
readiness platform. During advisory, students were provided with a platform to assist them with
career assessment and college planning. The CESSW was involved in helping to provide training to
teachers so that they could implement in class. Additionally, the CESSW was instrumental in having
the school complete College and Career Readiness surveys throughout grade levels as well as the
Senior Exit Survey.
Event Planning To Promote College-Going Culture
The CESSW was an active lead involved in helping to promote a college-going culture at Maya
Angelou through a variety of ways including: sponsoring events to promote October as College
Awareness Month, coordinating a college door decorating contest, hosting presentations from local
colleges and universities, inviting guest speakers to present on a variety of college-related topics,
offering classroom presentations about post-secondary options for students, hosting, college
application workshops, providing information and resources so that students have access to
information and resources related to college, offering teachers assistance to help
integrate college information into regular classroom activities, and inviting family to informational
events about college. Additionally, the CESSW assisted in the development of a school-wide plan to
expose all students to a college environment by coordinating college visits for each high school grade
level. This year, students received guided tours at a number of local college campuses including: UC
Los Angeles, CSU Los Angeles, CSU Dominguez Hills, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Riverside. Finally, the
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CESSW took a leadership role in planning three major school-wide events: our Spring College Fair,
Career Awareness Day, and Senior Commitment Day.
Increasing Post-Secondary Financial Aid Access
Various activities promoting college financial aid were held throughout the year. Outreach was
provided to parents to promote two well-attended “Cash for College” financial aid workshops. One
was held in October 2017 and another in February 2018. Additionally, a new partnership blossomed
between the College Empowerment School Social Worker and the school’s economics teachers.
Financial aid workshops and college budgeting lessons were coordinated and offered in all senior
economics classes. This enabled all senior students to complete a financial aid application while also
learning about budgeting for college. It also allowed students to explore the pros and cons of student
loans, learn about scholarships, and understand financial aid grants. Efforts made significantly
contributed toward a dramatic jump in financial aid submission rates.
Lissette Gomez-Solano, CESSW @ Zone 7
This year the CESSW was intentional while working with students and the college admissions process
at Mendez HS and Solis LA. Students on the CESSW caseload had an individualized college eligibility
meeting to review their UC/CSU eligibility and to match students with colleges within their reach.
Students missing 1-2 classes were informed which classes were required to be eligible for CSU’s. In
addition, prior to the school year starting, seniors from both Mendez and Solis were invited to attend
a Summer College Institute to begin working on their college applications.
Having the individualized college eligibility meetings paid off. According to Frank Cornelio,
Recruitment Specialist from CSULA Admissions, 153 students from Mendez HS applied and 110
students were accepted, 71.9% of all students were admitted to CSULA. This was the highest
admission rate for all schools in the area according to Mr. Cornelio. The average GPA for the
admitted students was 3.37 and SAT score was 965. Of the 168 students who applied to a four-year
university, 137 students were admitted, 81.5%.
At Hilda L. Solis LA 35 students were eligible to apply to a four year university (On Track & Tier 1) and
36 students applied. Four students who applied to a four-year university were Tier 2 students
(missing 3-4 A-G classes) and ALL were admitted. 91% of student who applied to four-year
universities were accepted.
It is exciting to know students at Boyle Heights Continuation HS want to attend community college
and transfer to a four-year university after having failed multiple semesters at their comprehensive
high school. Eight students graduated in June 2019 and another eight are close to graduating in the
summer. Eight students were able to participate in the ELAC Acceptance Day in April, allowing them
to complete enrollment steps (AOC) such as viewing their assessment results, completing orientation
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and their student education plan with an ELAC Counselor. Students received assistance with signing
up for the LA College Promise, completing their FAFSA or California Dream Act application and
registering for summer and fall classes.
Krista Lombard-Conley, CESSW @ Zone 10
CESSW facilitated the invitation of Dr. Rebecca Joseph to present at a faculty meeting for all school
staff to provide information about the college admissions landscape.
CESSW strengthen the relationship between the College Office and groups on campus including our
Succeed Club which supports the newly arrived and English Learner population.
CESSW partners with the College Office and Succeed club to host the 5th Annual College and Career
Fair inviting several colleges and trade schools to participate in a school wide College and Career Fair .
This exposure to colleges and staff has increased the number of students exploring options at LATT
College and Mount Holyoake as compared to last year.
CESSW strengthens relationships with teachers and provides support to complete the College and
Career Readiness as well as Naviance Senior exit surveys. Through this activity more teachers
consider making the development of Personal Inquiry Questions, answering EOP questions and
college applications a mandatory senior activity in their classes. Unfortunately Monroe High School
does not have an advisory or homeroom period to facilitate these activities however teacher’s
openness to these assignments is evidence of how building relationships helps improve college access
for all students.
CESSW provides ongoing support to College Office activities that increase the college going culture at
Monroe High School.
Jacqueline Olivo, CESSW @ Zone 5 & Zone 4/5
Diego Rivera Learning Complex (DRLC) is composed of four individual schools. Each school have their
own individual student events. As the College Empowerment School Social worker assigned to the
complex, I have been trying to create a complex wide college culture. I have been working with
counselors and support staff from every school to create complex wide events. All stakeholders meet
and participate in our monthly DRLC Support Staff Meetings.
At our monthly meetings, we discussed and strategized on what type of workshops and events we
can create and bring to our DRLC complex. Complex wide workshops such as FAFSA & CA Dream Act,
Parent University, and College 101 are among the few workshops that we have been able to facilitate.
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In addition, we have been able to bring events such as our College Fair, College Signing Day, and
Summer Melt Institute to our complex. The organization and implementation of our complex wide
workshops and events have been possible due to the collaboration and participation of all
stakeholders who have become agents of change here at Diego Rivera Learning Complex.
Maria Olvera, CESSW @ Zone 8
CESSW continued to provide support to student with the FAFSA and College application process to
the students and parents at Hawkins High School. The CESSW focused on the students in tier one and
on-track and also assisted non-cohort students with the Community college applications and Financial
aid applications as well, as provided guidance and linkage to the college campuses to facilitate their
higher academic experiences.
Throughout the year until the end the CESSW also continued to mitigate barriers and advocate for
the students by facilitating and referring students to college departments and services. Became part
of the school culture by taking on the responsibility and role of organizing and planning the College
signing day celebration for all three smalls schools at Augustus Hawkins. Also collaborated with
counselors and assisted with the planning and organization of the senior breakfast for CDAGS and
RISE small schools. Participated in the Senior Defense as a judge and provided support to the senior
class during this process. Ended the year working with school counselors during Summer Melt and
collaborating with school staff for the continued support of the students.
Nancy Soto, CESSW @ Zone 9
The systematic changes as a result the College Empowerment Program have been many. First, the
CESSW developed a strong alliance with CSULA Professor, Dr. Rebecca Josephs, to work with all our
students about writing strong Personal Inquiry Questions (PIQs) and becoming a competitive
university applicant on paper. Not only did she work with the Seniors, she also worked with the
Junior class. Dr. Joseph has become a favored guest of PHS and the administrators, counselors and
support staff have come to appreciate her expertise and knowledge regarding first-generation college
students. They often reach out to her on their own! Dr. Joseph is now a permanent staple at
Panorama HS that she is used to come speak to our English teachers on how to support first-
generation college-bound students be competitive candidates for University applications.
Collaboration within the school community has been a staple for creating systematic change. The
CESSW worked with the A-G Counselors, Newcomer Counselor and Special Target Populations
(formerly known as the Bilingual) Coordinator to ensure that students receiving English Language
Learner services were also being exposed to higher education. In working with the STP Coordinator
and Newcomer Counselor, the CESSW created a Tier 1 (Universal) intervention for all students in the
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ELL Program at PHS. Two speakers from USC who are current graduate students spoke with our
entire ELD population on their journey as undocumented students in the public school system as well
as how and why they chose to attend university. Our ELL students were inspired and riveted by the
stories of these courageous role models.
Collaboration outside of the school community includes the CESSW reaching out to the local
FamilySource Center (FSC)- New Economics for Women (NEW) and working with their agency college
center staff on having them come to PHS to lead our financial aid workshops starting in October,
during College Month. NEW is now a permanent partner of Panorama HS and the CESSW, College
Counselor meet every semester to plan on events and projects where FSC/NEW can come and serve
our students. FSC also provides agency tutoring (for free) for our students. FSC can now also be
counted on to host a table at our College & Career fairs, Back to School Nights, and PHABAO
Conference Nights. Prior to the CESSW’s arrival to Panorama HS, FSC staff stated that Panorama HS
was a “difficult school” to work with because they were not open to community collaboration.
The CESSW also created a Post-Secondary Team consisting of English teachers, AVID teachers, and
the counseling support staff (A-G Counselors and the College & Career Counselor) on how to prepare
our student body for post-secondary options such as higher education; community college;
university; and vocational school. All agreed that even if our students chose vocational school, they
would all benefit from applying to college and financial aid so that they could experience this unique
privilege and right. The committee also created a student brag sheet to use as a template for their
college essays in which they would be more comfortable talking about themselves and illustrate their
lives, accomplishments and activities. The participants of the Post-Secondary Team often express
how grateful they are to have “meaningful planning” with others at school to help guide our students
to all their post-secondary opportunities.
Other examples of systematic change initiated by the CESSW includes the creation and sponsorship of
the school’s first IDEAS Club (Improving Dreams Equality Access Success) in which students who
support all students, especially undocumented youth, with resources and support to access higher
education. Students who participated in the IDEAS club did so with a desire to help and support
undocumented students and provide a safe space for them and their supporters. Members of the
IDEAS Club reached out to other clubs to share their unique stories.
Another area of systematic change has been the work done with parent engagement as it relates to
guiding our first-generation college-bound students to higher education. Led by the CESSW,
Panorama HS held it’s first College Family Night where we targeted ALL parents of our students and
explained to them in English and Spanish the college system as well as the process of financial aid. It
was during our fall College Family Night where we invited a panel of parents whose children were
college graduates, come speak to our current parents on how they (parents) supported their children
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during college. The parent panel proved to be an authentic, and powerful parent engagement
activity. School staff were impressed with how parents listened to the stories of parents that had
guided their child through university graduation. The CESSW also works with the 3 Panorama HS
Parent Center Representatives on all college-related activities.
PHS has undergone much change since the arrival of the CESSW in October of 2017. This includes a
new principal, assistant principal and support staff. When there is so much change coming on at
once, it is normal for some to resist the new change. The CEP did initially receive resistance because
nobody understood what it meant to have a CESSW on campus or how long the program would last.
However, one of the hallmarks of social work is being part of systems resistant to change. The CESSW
assigned to PHS held steady by utilizing the social work tool and taking the time to build relationships
with all stakeholders at the school such as the custodial staff, parent center director, school
administrators, students, parents, other support staff and especially the teachers. Program
implementation, and creating an infrastructure to maintain any sort of change cannot happen unless
they are built on relationships and trust. Going the extra mile by volunteering for after school
activities, sponsoring student clubs, being available for Saturday workshops, meeting with parents
has helped create an environment of trust, comradery and a path to create an infrastructure where
first generation college students, among them the most vulnerable i.e. undocumented, foster,
homeless and immigrant students are able to thrive and take advantage of the post-secondary
opportunities available to them.
Maria “Toni” Zaroyan, CESSW @ Zone 1
These are some of the interventions planned and implemented throughout the 2018-2019 school
year:
Prepared the College Center with College readiness materials to educate students about the
College and financial aid process.
The college center board was decorated and updated throughout the school year with
information about A-G requirements, CSU’s, UC’s, Private colleges, and CC information.
During the first week of school, CESSW met with English teachers and provided them with
Personal Insight Questions (PIQ) and Early Opportunity Program (EOP) questions to prepare
students on how to write answers pertaining to their college applications.
o Collaborated with Mr. Rios who developed a PPT to educate students on how to
answer the PIQ and EOP questions.
Coordinated workshops in every English class to reach to all senior students. CESSW had
ongoing classroom presentations for senior students, to establish rapport and develop
relations on their goals (Since CESSW had three different HS). A few of the PPTs presented to
the students are:
o Post-secondary educational options
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o College admission process, FAFSA and CADA financial aid
o College awards financial aid letters, etc.
o HS vs College
o How to prevent summer melt and College support services
CESSW maintained regular contact with all English and AVID teachers through visiting the
classrooms often. By visiting those classrooms regularly, CESSW provided visibility and
encouraged students to go to the College Center for assistance.
Created and prepared PPTs, senior packets, handouts, checklists for College applications and
financial aid, which students received during classroom presentations. CESSW reviewed with
students how to use the information and materials provided.
Facilitated College representatives’ presentations to all students from; CSU, private colleges to
Community colleges.
Initiated meeting with APSCS, counseling staff, and USC adviser to plan and discuss College
activities for seniors such as helping students complete College applications in small and large
group settings in the library and college center, financial aid applications, commitment sign-in
ceremony, etc.
CESSW set up and prepared activities to replicate when she was working in different school
sites. Worked with USC college adviser to implement presentations, activities with senior
students.
Shared Naviance, MiSIS and A-G data with staff to help identify and monitor On track and Tier
1 college eligible students.
Maintained clear data collections of application and financial aid submissions to provide
follow up with students in a timely manner.
Built relations with colleges to provide information on questions for students about
applications, financial aid, housing, etc.
Participated in field trips
One on one meetings with students and parents beyond school hours just to get them what
they needed.
CESSW facilitated presentations to Gr. 9, 10 & 11 in topics related to College readiness.
Conducted parent workshops
Ms. Zaroyan also supported the school in other roles such as proctoring the SAT, participating in the
panel interview project, presentations in Spanish to ESL students, facilitated and assisted Gr. 10 & 12
students with the College & career readiness (CCRS) and Senior Exit Naviance surveys and other
activities.
CESSW worked diligently to promote College readiness in the classroom for seniors as it is important
to establish rapport and maintain visibility to foster a relation to students that would promote peers
visiting the College Center to ask for assistance. One of the challenges CESSW faced was having a USC
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college adviser that students would relate to more. This was because he was in the College Center as
full time.
Working directly with students and teachers to monitor students’ progress with College and financial
aid applications proved immensely successful with student workshops implemented in the English
and AVID classes.
In addition, more students received information and community referrals by becoming familiar with
the CESSW on campus. CESSW was able to build trust with students and provide support in issues
that developed throughout the College application and admissions process. Students were aided and
role modeled by the CESSW in doing outreach to schools to resolve any college concerns.
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