Mayor Eric Garcetti, Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, and Cal State LA Executive Vice President Jose A Gomez, joined YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Board Chair Mark Helm and President and CEO Alan Hostrup to announce Achieve LA, our historic college-readiness partnership. The first of its kind, Achieve LA is a unique collaboration with Cal State LA that will not only create a pathway to higher education for youth in our city’s most underserved communities, but also, students participating in the Y’s Urban Initiative: Cradle to Career Success will be guaranteed admission to Cal State LA upon meeting university requirements.
The Y’s Urban Initiative: Cradle to Career Success was launched in 2014 to support the most vulnerable communities in Los Angeles County. Activated at four LA Y locations, Crenshaw Family YMCA, Southeast-Rio Vista YMCA, Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA and Weingart YMCA Wellness & Aquatic Center, its purpose is to address pressing academic and community needs in our most under-resourced urban neighborhoods.
A true partnership, Cal State LA students will contribute two hours, one day per week providing services and working with youth and teens at each of the four Y’s offering Cradle to Career Success. As well, Cal State LA will provide high school seniors with special campus tours, a Parent Academy to help parents feel comfortable sending their kids to college, student panel presentations on the college experience and Cal State LA student shadowing. While students will apply to the school through its standard admission system, Cal State LA’s Recruitment and Outreach staff will provide assistance for our Urban Initiative: Cradle to Career Success participants.
