Inyo County Sophomores Explore College Opportunities in Sacramento

On April 10th and 11th, 122 sophomore students and 12 chaperones from Inyo County high schools visited Sacramento to tour Folsom Lake Community College, UEI Technical College and Sacramento State University to explore academic options for their future. This opportunity was made possible by the Inyo County Office of Education with support from Bishop, Big Pine, Owens Valley, and Lone Pine high schools. The goal of this overnight field trip is to align with school goals and take students on trips to Community Colleges, UCs, CSUs and CTE programs that most lend themselves to the post-secondary aspirations of our student body and their parents. One chaperone reported, “The best part about the college visit trip was observing students being able to have new experiences out of their comfort zone and also having opportunities for them to tour campuses.” In addition, this experience provides a positive, inclusive learning environment that fosters student, staff, and family engagement. Engaged students are more likely to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. By providing varied and inclusive opportunities for participation in academic, extracurricular, and school community activities, we aim to enhance student motivation, attendance, and overall school satisfaction. This field trip is the second in a series that introduces students to postsecondary education in an effort to help guide high school education decisions. The Inyo County Office of Education organizes 5th Grade College and Career Day, 8th Grade Cerro Coso Day, and the 8th Grade UNR Trip to engage students in planning for their future education and career options.

Students and chaperones departed Inyo County on the morning of April 10th and arrived in Sacramento in the afternoon at the Folsom Lake College campus where tour guides and program staff spoke to the students about the variety of course offerings, student support programs, and extra-curricular opportunities available at their campus. Later that afternoon students had the opportunity to tour UEI Technical College to learn about a variety of certifications and technical training available in machinery, diesel mechanics, welding, dental assisting, medical assisting, medical coding and HVAC. Students wrapped up the evening at the Sac Town Family Fun Center where they ate dinner, played black light mini golf and arcade games while socializing with their peers and teachers.

On April 11th, students toured the Sacramento State University campus where they participated in docent-led tours of campus housing, The WELL Recreation Center, the University Union and the Hornet Bookstore. They ate lunch with college students at the Servery dining commons and cheered on the Sac State softball team as they battled Northern Colorado at Shea Stadium before departing for Inyo County in the afternoon. The student survey showed that 85% of the students would consider attending Sac State University after engaging in the tour. One student shared, “I would recommend this trip for upcoming 10th grade students because it shows you more colleges that you could consider going to and it is all paid for!”
The ICOE extends sincere gratitude to Alisa Brooks, Pat Slee, Robbie McAlister, Erik Forsman, Derek Moisant, Katie Lacey, Christie Nesbit, Alice Bruck, Mina Garcia, Stephanie Perez, Jan Hart, Allison Peeler, and Jae No for making this experience possible for the students.