Riverside County Schools Announce “College Kickoff” Activities

From the Riverside County Office of Education:

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA - Students in more than 35 Riverside County high schools and multiple elementary and middle schools will participate in the “College Kickoff” campaign organized by the Riverside County Education Collaborative (RCEC) on three different dates across the county in October and November. The “College Kickoff” is one of many countywide initiatives aimed at taking a more proactive approach to preparing students for post-secondary goals.

A year-long focus on increasing the number of local students that apply for financial aid begins with the “College Kickoff” in the fall and ends with the “Race to Submit” in the spring. High schools throughout the county have found creative methods to motivate students to take action to fund their educational future. Ideas from counselors, principals, and teachers have included: “FAFSA Fiestas,” pizza parties, parent nights, T-shirt giveaways, scavenger hunts, and even coveted extra tickets to graduation for students who complete the FAFSA.

“Pep rallies are a special tradition at high schools that unify the student body towards a common goal—usually to defeat a formidable foe that stands in the way of victory. Our goal with the ‘College Kickoff’ is to harness that same mindset and translate it to a new playing field where their common foe is trying to determine what to do after high school and how to be victorious in their post-secondary endeavors,” said Catalina Cifuentes, Leadership Associate, at the Riverside County Office of Education. “Every high school will tell you that they prepare students for college. But, all the schools participating in the ‘College Kickoff’ have a very specific game plan with a playbook that includes intentional steps to block out instructional time and go on the offensive to ensure that their students are ready for their future beyond high school.”

Multiple college and career readiness activities are currently taking place throughout Riverside County, including:

• “College Kickoff” – 34 high schools representing 60% of the 2017 senior class of Riverside County will dedicate instructional time and provide trained support staff during the school day to assist students in filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and applying for college. Events will take place on three different dates: October 12, October 19, and November 2.
• College Readiness in Elementary and Middle School – “College Kickoff” activities will take place, districtwide, on Wednesday, October 2, in the Val Verde Unified School District—including at elementary and middle schools.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Readiness Program – In conjunction with University of California, Riverside, a series of free four-hour test preparation workshops are available to students who will be taking AP exams in the spring. More than 400 Riverside County students participated in the first of eight workshops in September. Facilitators from the UCR Graduate School of Education serve as hosts and presenters in topics ranging from calculus and biology to English and environmental science. Local teachers are also invited to participate as another goal of the program is to sharpen the teaching abilities of AP instructors at local high schools.
• Text Messaging Campaign – Riverside County high schools are encouraged to text the word ‘College’ to 44044 to receive free support and assistance to help fill out the FAFSA and prepare for college. The campaign is part of the #BetterMakeRoom social media campaign that is part of the larger Reach Higher initiative from First Lady Michelle Obama that encourages young people to complete their education and own their future.

Only 21% of the adult population of Riverside County has earned a bachelor’s degree or better—far below the national (29%) and California average (31%) according to the 2015 American Community Survey. Each year, the federal government provides more than $150 billion in grants, loans and work-study funds for students to attend college or career school. The RCEC was founded on the belief that too much of that money goes unused—especially in Riverside County. Graduating seniors from the class of 2014 in California lost out on $396,401,205 in federal Pell Grant funds in 2013-2014 because students failed to submit the FAFSA and the accompanying Cal Grant application.

RCEC is the network partnership of higher education, local government, and K-12 stakeholders dedicated to expanding college and career readiness in Riverside County. The RCEC was formed in July 2014 in response to a request by the U.S. Department of Education to help more students prepare for, and graduate from, college. The goals of the RCEC are focused on growing the percentage of FAFSA completions, increasing the percentage of students applying to three or more colleges, raising the percentage of students who enroll in post-secondary education, and ensuring that more students are academically prepared for college after completing high school.

Image via the Riverside County Office of Education.