By Karla Ventura
East Los Angeles College has a partnership with local middle and high schools to expose students to higher education at an early stage in students’ academics studies. ELAC gives opportunities to first- year incoming students. Every fiscal year, ELAC provides two to three classes per semester at a local LAUSD middle school. ELAC extends that support by also providing summer classes to high school students.
ELAC has partner with Belvedere Middle School to bring new opportunities to local middle school students. College courses are brought on site of their campus. During the school days teachers and administrators encourage students to take advantage of the classes that are being offer to them. They also do outreach to teach parents of the opportunities that their children have at the local community college. Students of all grade levels can sign-up and take full advantage on this opportunity. Students are offered variety of classes, like Spanish, robotics and engineering. College courses that are being offer prepare students for college success, students are graded as a college students. , It’s a great partnership that allows our students to be able to grow,” Viviana Flores, a teacher at Belvedere middle school, said.
Jaime Escalante Math Program began at Garfield High School and then Escalante brought the program to ELAC. Summer classes are offered to high school students. This program helps them by preparing them for academic success in an institute of higher learning, it gives them college credits for a head start and helps students grow academically.
The First- Year center (FYC) assists and provides students with academic and social enrichment. This program helps students in their freshman year of community college by providing counseling and getting started in general classes. FYC also gives students the confidence to transfer to a university.
With College courses being offered to middle school and high school students, ELAC is trying to help students become more than huskies.