It was a little glimpse into possibilities for the future when AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) District Director Nancy Garcia and some staff members took 40 Riverbank High School students on a field trip to the Museum of Tolerance, Disneyland, California State University Fullerton, and UCLA. The AVID program was designed to help schools prepare students for college, careers, and life.
“The trip was for our AVID and Migrant students,” said Garcia. “It was so much fun and I feel like the students got to experience so many new things. Overall, it was a fantastic trip, I have received a lot of great feedback from staff, students, and parents. It is my last trip and a great way to end my career as I am retiring at the end of the school year.”
The students in the AVID class that attended the Migrant Leadership classes were able to participate in the field trip. AVID teachers Ismael Mercado, Juan Harvey, Robert Searway, RHS counselor Maritza Alvarez, along with Garcia chaperoned the recent trip to Southern California.
The group boarded a charter bus at 5 a.m. on April 25 with their first stop at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles that was established in 1993 and is dedicated to assist visitors in understanding the Holocaust.
“This was their favorite part and the highlight of the trip,” expressed Garcia. “The students learned more about the Holocaust and were able to experience what many families went through during this terrible time in history. They followed an individual’s story and their journey during the Holocaust and whether or not they survived the journey. Through this experience, they learned about leadership skills and speaking up when they see an injustice.”
After the museum the group was off to Disneyland for a few hours. The trip was funded by the school and a Migrant grant. Students paid the entrance fee to Disneyland.
Garcia noted, “For about 80 percent of our students, it was their first time. They were only there for about five hours, but they enjoyed every minute of it.”
The following day the students spent some time at California State University Fullerton and UCLA.
“The students enjoyed both schools and had so many questions about entrance requirements, costs, and what kind of educational programs and majors both schools had to offer,” stated Garcia. “This is the real reason we take these trips with our students. We want our students to visit schools and know that they have options when it comes to getting an education. They just need to meet the requirements, by keeping up their grades, taking the right classes and building up their resumés.”
