Every June, we experience the exciting moments of seeing our high school seniors graduate. This year is special, since it is the first school year that students learned on campus post-pandemic, and we are happy to celebrate this accomplishment with our scholars. 

Approximately 65% of our scholars will be matriculating to two- and four-year colleges in the fall. The joy, anticipation and sense of adventure that our students and their families experience as they leave 12th grade and begin their higher education is inspiring, and we’d like to share some of their compelling stories with you in these videos from each of our high schools: Mendez High, MSTMA at Roosevelt, Jordan High, Roosevelt High, and Santee Education Complex.

We know our students have overcome tremendous obstacles to get to college, and although uncertainties lie ahead, our students are brilliant, resilient, and persistent. We are here to support our students and families with resources that make college information accessible and affordable. 

At the Partnership, we know that first-generation students of color need additional support to overcome personal and systemic barriers to achieve a college degree. In the next school year, we are prioritizing making college more affordable by working with partner organizations that are focused on building systems to support students in navigating financial aid systems, reducing tuition costs, and increasing aid. We also will increase college advising capacity by advocating for more guidance and college counselors at high-need schools and for increased support and training for counselors to find the “best fit” colleges for students, to ultimately increase their chances of finishing college.

You can find more information about our recommendations in our More Than A Dream… policy paper.

View videos below and at www.youtube.com/user/PartnershipLA/videos.