SB Cal-SOAP Fall 2017 eNewsletter

Financial Aid Season 2017

Our Cash for College nights were very successful. This gave many students the opportunity to come with their parents and complete their FAFSA applications with the assistance from Cal-SOAP staff and our partners, such as the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara (SFSB), Santa Barbara Community College (SBCC), and the University of California Santa Barbara. Together, high school seniors from SB Unified, Carpinteria Unified, and Bishop High School were able to be walked through the process step by step.

At the financial Aid presentations we presented on FAFSA, CA Dream Act, and the different kinds of institutional grants (Pell Grant etc.) We informed students what they will need to provide for filling out the FAFSA pr the Dream Act in order to receive these grants and loans.

Condor Club 2017-18

We are so excited to introduce this year's Condor Club students. Once a week, we meet with 7th and 8th grade students during their lunch time to discuss the transition from Junior High School to High School and introduce higher education, as well as get them to start thinking about their lives after high school. Cal-SOAP provides them with snacks and fun workshop activities that prepare them for higher education.

NorCal Campus Visits

"On the weekend of November 10-12th my senior AVID class from San Marcos got to go on a three-day field trip to the Bay Area to visit college campuses and explore the area. The students are all first-generation college students that are nearing graduation and the very big decision of what to do next year. There is a wide mix of plans for post-graduation among the group, including Santa Barbara City College, 4-year universities, and the military... Some of the highlights of the trip were Stanford University, University of San Francisco, San Francisco State University, Fisherman's Wharf, UC Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. For many students, it was their first trip to San Francisco and to colleges outside of our local area.

I think that the trip opened the students' eyes to the variety of colleges that are out there and made them feel like there is a place for them somewhere, even if it wasn't one of the schools we visited. Those that are attending SBCC next fall still hope to transfer to a four-year university down the road and I think are better equipped and more motivated to make that happen. We appreciate Cal Soap's support in making the trip happen." -- Jeff Ashton

Board Member Spotlight: Rya Carpenter (Bishop Garcia Diego High School)

How long have you been on Cal-SOAP’s Governing Board?

"I believe that I have been on the board for 5 years."

How do you think Cal-SOAP helps students achieve their academic goals?

"When our high school students receive personal attention during tutoring sessions from a current college student, it helps to not only bridge academic gaps, it helps them see that college is attainable. The tutors become mentors and role models in that regard."

How do you feel about Cal-SOAP, overall?

"We just had a Cal-SOAP visit to Cal Poly. It was a treat for students to get on campus and visualize themselves in this space. I love that Cal-SOAP makes our students feel special, with the lunch and transportation provided. Having said that, nothing beats the value of tutoring provided by Cal-SOAP. In many cases, this assistance is make or break with graduation or college admission. Bringing tutors to our location is a real gift to those in need."

FREE SAT Program for Seniors in High School

This spring we are hosting a six week SAT course for juniors looking to prepare for the exam. The course is run by Study Smart Tutors. It begins late January and ends at the beginning of March.

Deadline for application: January 8th!

A link to more information and to the application is located under this text box.

If you have any questions about the course or requirements, contact our Programs Coordinator Vincent Dodero at vdodero@cacsb.com or (805) 730-7373.

Click here for the SAT Application

This year's Financial Aid season would not have been successful without the help and support from Cal-SOAP's wonderful partners!

A special thank you to:

Scholarship Foundation of SB
Raul Aguilera
Samantha Alvarez

SBCC
Brandi Freeman

UCSB OFAS
Maribel Acevedo
Rebecca Plotkin
Jerry Gonzalez
Luis Naranjo
Sergio Lagunas
Jennifer Leon

Welcome New Cal-SOAP Tutors!

Our Tutoring program is up and running!
We are now at 25 tutors. Majority of our tutors are Math and Science majors with an emphasis in education.
All of our tutors are here to inspire students to become confident, independent learners prepared to meet academic and personal challenges.
We are happy to announce that all of our sites have at least 2 tutors and we have expanded our services to the ASES Program connected with SB Unified and the Academy for success located at Dos Pueblos High School.

We are still hiring, so inquire below:

Linda Figueroa
lfigueroa@cacsb.com
805-730-7373

San Marcos HS ---> NorCal College Visits

"The trip was a very rewarding and educational experience. We got to visit many colleges in different settings; from in the city to in the suburbs, big schools versus small school, religious schools compared to non- religious schools, etc. For me personally, it was a valuable experience to walk around the college environments and get a glimpse into the college experience first hand... As for my peers who are going to Santa Barbara City College, they now have schools to consider for after City College. We appreciate all the help/funding Calsoap provided for this trip. We hope you continue to do so for future AVID classes as it was a tremendous help. We couldn’t have gone without your help, thank you. -- Berenice Pantoja

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

Tuesday, Dec. 5th - 2nd Governing Board Meeting
Wednesday, Dec. 6th - Cash For College Workshop @ SBHS 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Monday, January 8th - SAT Application Due to Vincent