In an effort to prepare middle and high school students for rigorous mathematics coursework, UC Merced’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CEP) joined with 11 school districts in the San Joaquin Valley to launch a series of summer academies at UC Merced, CSU Fresno, Fresno City, Porterville College and College of the Sequoias.
The academies ran from early June to late July. More than 420 middle and high school students from the districts of Delhi, Livingston, Atwater, Merced, Le Grand, Cutler-Orosi, Golden Plains, Fresno, Farmersville and Corcoran participated in one of seven academies that were offered.
“The academies offer students in the Valley an opportunity to prepare for the rigor of A-G coursework and a postsecondary education,” CEP Director Orquidea Largo said.
The collaboration and academies are sponsored by GEAR UP, Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math and Science grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the UC Scholars Early Academic Outreach Program. The academies’ focus is on preparing students in mathematics and the completion of A-G subject requirements to ensure they graduate with the greatest number of postsecondary choices available from the widest array of options.
Since 2007, the CEP has offered students in the San Joaquin Valley an opportunity to participate in academic interventions in the spring or summer that support their academic preparation in mathematics and other subjects.
The CEP remains steadfast in serving as a change agent at K-12 partnership sites to help advance the college and career readiness of middle school and high school students. The implementation of academies is intended to be a short-term intervention, serving students with the potential to excel if offered academic supplemental services.
