Last Saturday, Greeley West sophomores in AVID classes were required to attend UNC for a hands-on experience of college-related activities. Pathways to Success benefits sophomore and junior students choosing to attend college in the future. 

The program started with a few guest speakers who talked about how their lives led them to a college career. Then, students were encouraged to attend three workshops that evaluated a range of college topics from financial aid to extracurricular activities. Afterward, (most of the student’s favorite part) was walking to the dining hall to experience lunch as a college student.

Sophomores in attendance benefited most from the workshops that provided a different perspective on college that not many high school students know about. “By coming here, my eyes were opened to the amount of opportunities college students have with picking their schedule and the amont of help students actually receive,” sophomore Keyli Dominguez explained. 

AVID teachers believe that this program is important for Greeley West students because they are exposed to the hard work they have to do in order to get admitted into college. “I think Pathways to Success is a good way for students to see what it takes to be successfully admitted in college, especially because during the school year, we don’t have a lot of time to discuss these topics,” AVID teacher Mr. Joel Suarez shared. 

One of the spokespersons for this event, Jose David Reynoza, believes that Pathways to Success is an extremely important opportunity for students to learn about the positives in college. “Sometimes when students envision what college is going to be like, they only think about the obstacles. Money and moving out of the house can be scary things but it’s important to learn about the exciting things that college has to offer,” Reynoza shared.