2019 Live Well San Diego Annual Impact Report
2019 Live Well San Diego Annual Impact Report
Regional organizations are consistently delivering programs that offer youth and young adults the opportunity to acquire hands-on, practical experience, gain knowledge and be supported as they work toward their educational and career goals. Innovative programs promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) based learning and provide academic and life-skills mentoring to improve student achievement and overall graduation rates. Organizations are investing in new facilities and providing financial support to learners of all ages to ensure that everyone has the opportunity for a quality education. Programs like these are having a positive influence on the Live Well San Diego Education Indicator leading to economic, social and psychological factors that, over time, can also influence overall health and wellbeing.
Access Youth Academy has plans for a new facility in southeastern San Diego that will have the ability to serve over 1,300 students per year, like Djulia and Joyce who share their experiences as current students at the Academy.
Youth talk about how programming and coding with The League of Amazing Programmers have inspired them for careers in technology and engineering.
The Annual Super STEM Saturday held in April 2019 was hosted by California State University San Marcos in partnership with The Classical Academies and welcomed 18,000 attendees to the CSUSM campus to discover science, re-imagine technology, create engineering, and explore math.
SGD&E partnered with the City of Chula Vista and the Chula Vista Elementary School District to guide and inspire students to pursue STEM careers through an immersive experience they created known as the Energy Station.
SUCCESS STORIES INFLUENCING KNOWLEDGE
Over 850 young adults and allies came together to discuss ways to connect disconnected youth to educational and employment opportunities at the 2019 Opportunity Summit hosted by San Diego Workforce Partnership in partnership with representatives from 2-1-1- San Diego, Cajon Valley Union School District , San Diego Unified School District , DETOUR , RISE San Diego and others.
Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District awarded 5,652 degrees and certificates to 2,699 graduates in 2019, the largest graduating class in the college district’s history.
San Diego State University welcomed 300 high school students from 14 partner schools in San Diego to participate in a day to explore labs and experience hands-on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics.
San Diego Community College District, which includes San Diego City College, offers more than 2,000 students a debt-free education through the San Diego Promise program.
Escondido Union School District received nearly $32,000 in grants from the Escondido Education Foundation to support school innovation projects, including robotics, environmental science, performing arts, reading, maker spaces, and more.
San Diego Oasis is an educational program for adults 50+ who want to continue to learn and be productive throughout life with stimulating classes and service opportunities they engage over 5,300 older adults each year.
“The Urban League of San Diego County understands that by openly acknowledging our youth in a public forum, we make it clear to them and the community that we believe in and support their achievements”
- Ray King, President and CEO regarding the 196 students honored at their 28th Annual Golden Pyramid Scholars Award Ceremony.
“The new graduation rates (86.6% 2017) are proof that a culture of academic excellence is taking hold in San Diego Unified. The national report card on education also showed our students made the strongest academic gains of any large district at key elementary and middle school years.”
- Kevin Beiser, Board President, San Diego Unified School District
"This partnership with Girls, Inc. has been one of our most meaningful partnerships to date and has made Girls Mentoring Groups at Pro Kids a possibility. It is only through our partnerships that we can offer this weekly mentoring programming to over 50 Pro Kids girls throughout San Diego County."
- Alison Aragon, Director of Development
and Communications,
Pro Kids | The First Tee of San Diego
MAKING IMPACT PERSONAL
MiraCosta College students Carlos Castro and Rita Viland are great examples of overcoming obstacles and taking advantage of programs offered by community colleges.
Castro, just a few years ago, was expelled from high school, sidetracked by substance abuse, and had little interest in education. Thanks to MiraCosta College, the PUENTE Program, and Castro’s involvement with the MiraCosta College soccer team, he earned an Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts with an emphasis in social and behavioral sciences.
“Being involved in school, being engaged in class, it just made me
feel like I belonged, it made me feel good about myself,” Castro said.
Viland, born in the Transylvanian city of Oradea, originally came to MiraCosta College for its English Language Institute that offers international students the opportunity to improve their proficiency in English. That led to her enrolling in MiraCosta College’s Global Studies program that was launched last fall. Viland graduated in May with a certificate in Global Studies.
“The people who work at MiraCosta have gone out of their way to try to help me navigate the challenges that you can find when you’re here on a student visa,” said Viland. “I feel like I’m being supported by everybody.”
Growing up, Jesus Gama was fascinated by the mobile phone market, so Jesus brought on investors and started his own design and phone repair business, GamaTech.
As a student at Lincoln High School, Jesus Gama participated in a resume workshop lead by the San Diego Workforce Partnership’s CONNECT2Careers (C2C) program. He had positive memories about the trainers’ enthusiasm and he even put together his first resume during the workshop. “They had everything pretty much set up for you. I enjoyed working with them and they were very helpful. Help like that is unforgettable,” says Gama.
Recently, Gama got in touch with his C2C peer job coach and focused on creating a resume suited to his job interests. He worked to integrate specific edits to his resume that highlighted relevant experiences and skills he obtained since attending that first C2C resume workshop.
“CONNECT2Careers helped me create a great updated resume…I decided to take the resume they helped me create and went out searching for a job,” says Gama.
Gama used the C2C portal to explore employment opportunities and apply for jobs. Eventually, Gama accepted a position at a local restaurant, which best suited his work needs and helped him pay back investors of GamaTech.
READ MORE STORIES INFLUENCING KNOWLEDGE
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Barrio Logan College Institute Empowers Students and Community
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Save Lives By Getting First Aid Training for Free
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MiraCosta College Students Each Share Stories of Triumph
NEWS | May 31, 2019
Opportunity Summit Aims to Connect Youth to Educational and Employment Opportunities
NEWS | June 25, 2019
Urban League of San Diego Acknowledges Power Students
NEWS | August 23, 2018
San Diego City and other local Community Colleges Promise Students with Financial Barriers Free Tuition
NEWS | August 17, 2018
San Diego Unified School District Maintains Top Position Among Big City Schools
NEWS | June 26, 2019
San Diego Oasis Helps Older Adults Embrace Technology
