We held our annual Junior Retreat on May 16th to give Breakthrough SJC juniors an opportunity to learn more about the college admissions process. During the retreat, Assistant Director Alex Serna and Director Lorena Martinez delivered workshops on researching colleges, creating a preliminary college list, writing personal statements and creating a resume. Throughout the day students engaged in various ice breaker activities, including a short game of ultimate Frisbee to build a supportive community.
The past few months, juniors have been working with community members who volunteer their time to help our students with the college application process. These mentors made a guest appearance during lunch to participate in team building activities and to help students draft their personal statements. Students had a long and rigorous day, spending 10 hours learning and working, but they are now 10 steps ahead in the college admissions process. Assistant Director Alex Serna said he was proud that the juniors took initiative to start the admissions process and he knows that “in the fall, when most students are frantically starting, our students will be many steps closer to realizing their dreams of being the first in their families to attend college.” This summer Breakthrough SJC students will continue to craft their personal statements and create their final college list after spring grades are released.
