Blazing the Road to College

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My students want to go to college and planned this entire trip themselves. Many of them have never traveled outside of our Denver suburban town, have never been to the mountains, and certainly can't see themselves attending college, even though they definitely have the talent and determination to get there.

I teach a college-prep class called AVID that teaches average but capable high school students how to find success in school. It reinforces hard work as a catalyst for achievement and shows students how to be organized, how to manage their time, how to study, and how to ask questions. These students are low-middle class students, often the first in their family to graduate high school or attend college, and they are determined to make a positive future for themselves. They have watched their parents struggle to make ends meet, want to make a better life for themselves, and see college as the answer to their future.

My AVID students designed, researched, and scheduled this road trip in the hopes to visit and compare several colleges throughout Colorado. They selected colleges of varying size, offering a wide range of programs, and in diverse geographical settings. These students' parents do not have the means or the resources to take them on a trip of this kind and make it a success. Although the AVID students focus on their college options and have taken trips to local colleges, they want the opportunity to expand their possibilities and thoroughly research their options. This trip will help them make one of the most difficult decisions all high school students must face. My AVID students can barely comprehend this type of trip, let alone afford it. We need to arrange a school bus and 4 nights of overnight accommodations for 12 deserving students to visit Colorado campuses. On the trip they will have the opportunity to stay in dorm rooms, attend information sessions and take campus tours. They will get to talk to college students and professors, observe classes, and experience the whole college scene for themselves.

Your generosity supports their efforts and is a true investment in these students’ futures. It means so much to all of us in ways that may not be obvious. A donation of this kind gives a concrete message to the students that you believe in them and want to help them be successful in reaching their goals. This, in turn, strengthens their self-esteem and confidence in themselves. Because of your contribution, the students feel their efforts are valued and are more willing and determined to work hard. Thank you for your vision! With your contribution to the AVID program, you are assisting these overlooked students in achieving their goals of getting into and succeeding in college. Not only will the students benefit from your support, but the community they come from and will join after college will gain confident, educated, and motivated individuals willing to give back.