Ventura College East Campus hosted the second annual College and Career Exploration Institute, sponsored by UCSB and Haas Automation, Inc. Some 34 juniors and seniors from Fillmore High School and Santa Paula High School participated in the week-long program.
As part of their activities, the students toured all three campuses of the Ventura County Community College District and visited three four-year universities: CSU Channel Islands, California Lutheran University and UCSB.
In addition to campus tours, students learned the basics of applying for college, financial aid and the benefits of other vital college services such as assessment and tutoring. They explored a variety of professional and vocational programs such as biotechnology, engineering, theater arts, environmental sciences, dental hygiene, fire technology, automotive technology, and exotic animal training and management.
The last day of the program was spent at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. The students explored the science museum and were treated to a showing of the film "Wired to Win" in the IMAX Theater.
Art Sandford, Coordinator of Off-Campus Programs, and Raul Barraza, counselor assistant at the East Campus organized the event, assisted by Glenda Learn, Career Center Director at Santa Paula High School, and Fillmore High School counselor Norma Pérez-Sandford .
The Santa Paula High School students who participated were: Karina Alferez, Antonia Barrios, Ruth Benitez, Jose Estebes, Ciana Lee, Laniah Lee, Esteban Minero, Candace Najera, Guillermo Ojeda, Irma Rivera, Salvador Roman.
The Fillmore High School students were: Leidi Alonso, Miguel Alonso, Maria G. Arreola, Georgette Cisneros, Maggie Contreras, Jonathan Escamilla, Juana Gabriela Flores, Taylor Gaitan, Desserey Garcia, Laura Garnica, Gabriel Gomez, Crystal Hernandez, Sandra Martinez, Maria Mendoza, Claudia Rincón, Rocio Rincón, Sonia Rincón, Juan Romero, Dora Servin, Maria Toxqui, Susana Toxqui, Clara Valdovinos, Teresa Vargas-Martinez and Yesenia Zavala.
The annual Institute provides an excellent opportunity for motivated high school students to learn more about the variety of college and career options available to them.