If they can do it, so can you.
That’s a key message underlying Natomas Unified’s practice in recent years of taking thousands of students on a college tour, where they can see a diverse student body and imagine themselves enrolling someday.
The goal is to inspire students, demystify college, and familiarize students with two- and four-year admission requirements.
About 2,250 NUSD students toured colleges or universities last year, roughly the total number of students enrolled when the unified district was created nearly 25 years ago.
NUSD kids leave college campuses understanding what’s available to students there and what they need to accomplish in the next four, six or eight years to qualify for admission, said Director AJ Giersch, who oversees the District’s program.
This year, 3rd– and 6th-graders will visit Sacramento City College, while 8th– and 11th-graders will tour California State University, Chico, or California State University, Sacramento. Plans call for NUSD to give all students in those grades an opportunity to participate.
Typical of the tours was a visit by Natomas Gateways Middle School 6th-graders last spring to Sierra College, where they listened to a presentation covering costs, options and career advantages of a college education, then visited key campus facilities, including a computer lab, natural history museum, and buildings for history, math, science and photography classes.
Asked later why students should attend college, the 6th-graders had a variety of answers: To get a better job, to continue learning, to play sports, to do whatever you want as a career, and to get ahead in the job market.
Alistair Turner, a Sierra College outreach specialist, explained the difference between the Rocklin-based community college and a four-year university. “We’re a quality school, we’re just less expensive,” he said.
Afterward, Francine, 12, said she wanted to attend Sierra College someday to become “a photographer, a techy person, or a singer.”
Nevaeh, 11, said she would pursue a college education “so I could probably apply for a job as a veterinarian or a nurse.”
Jarrett, 11, came away from the tour impressed with Sierra College. Will he enroll there someday? “It depends on where I’m living,” he said. “If I live close to here, I’ll probably go here.”
(Note: As NUSD’s Silver Anniversary nears, this is one in a series of stories spotlighting changes made through the years to support student success)
