San Leandro High School Students Head To College In Summer Program

SAN LEANDRO, CA — San Leandro Unified School District high school students now know more about what college entails thanks to a unique summer program.

The program, called “Pioneer Pathways,” is one of the San Leandro Education Foundation’s (aka, SLED's) offerings for San Leandro youth. In its second year, it’s a collaboration with California State University, East Bay, who hosts students – from San Leandro High School and Lincoln High School – for four days.

While at Cal State East Bay in late July, the students learned more about college life via a campus-wide tour, had a chance to speak with student leaders, listened to presentations from department heads, and ate in the dining hall, according to SLED.

They also spent the night in a student dormitory and were able to participate in freshman orientation activities with the incoming Cal State East Bay class, SLED shared.

In 2024, Cal State East Bay announced their partnership with the Hayward and San Leandro Unified School Districts “to give qualified students a clear path to higher education with guaranteed acceptance and coordinated support services.” High school students in these districts who meet admission requirements, including maintaining a 2.5 grade point average, are guaranteed admission to the university.

“Cal State East Bay is proud of these partnerships which will expand access to higher education for local students,” said Cal State East Bay President Cathy Sandeen, a graduate of San Leandro High School.

The San Leandro Education Foundation (SLED) was founded in 2008 “to support the role of public education in developing our community’s young people into well-grounded future citizens,” such as through the “Pioneer Pathways” program, according to the SLED team.

“SLED works with the San Leandro community to provide students with robust and innovative educational experiences, ensuring equitable access across grade levels and school sites,” they stated. “We promote student success by supporting positive youth development activities that inspire students to pursue their educational and life goals.”

The nonprofit organization has funded over $1.5 million for youth-centered programs and activities and impacts thousands of students.

It’s also the fiscal sponsor for San Leandro Unified’s “New Shoes for School” drive, and it pays the majority of students' stipends for San Leandro High School’s “Summer Internship Program,” according to Kate Miller, executive director of SLED.

“We are so proud to be part of those programs and to help support local students,” she said.

For more information about the organization and its programs, go here.

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