Local high school seniors spend their day on college campus
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Local high school seniors spent their day on a college campus on Wednesday.
Arizona Western College (AWC) says it's helping make higher education a possibility for all students.
Around 80 seniors from Gila Ridge High School (GRHS) spent their day on campus learning about things like majors, admissions, and financial aid.
Carter Roe, an Admissions Outreach & Recruitment Specialist at AWC, says, "We invite high school seniors from each of the Yuma Union High School District schools to come to campus and experience a day in the life of a student…Just important things that a lot of times as a high school senior you need to know, but maybe you don't know, and maybe you're nervous to ask about."
The students got a full tour of the campus and visited different major departments like Science and Engineering, Automotive, and Nursing.
They also visited some go-to spots like the food court, the new Matador Activity Center, and the new residence hall.
Roe says the special opportunity can help relieve some of the stress these students are feeling.
"A lot of high school students are nervous about starting college and no one wants to admit to being nervous but they're nervous about starting college. So, if we can show them just how easy it is to get started, we feel like our success rate with them really, really grows," shares Roe.
The Director of Counseling at GRHS, Anastasia Dawson, who is also an AWC Alumni, highly recommends the college to all of her students.
"We know AWC is a great option whether they're taking classes while in high school, whether they go after they graduate high school, and that is a more affordable and attainable option for a lot of our students and their families," says Dawson.
She shares the best part of her experience: "Getting the students outside the classroom, seeing a different environment, seeing them starting to connect the dots, and knowing that college can be an option for them."
GRHS Senior Juan Pampara says so far, he's loving the campus.
"Just the way it looks, everything looks super nice! I like how new the school is I think it is really, really beautiful," shares Pampara.
He says this experience is exactly what he and his classmates need.
"The biggest thing about college is people are scared because they don't know what's coming so they need someone to guide them and give them an idea that by the end of it it is easy you just have to know where to go…Just don't be scared be ready," Pampara says.
The college says the purpose of these events is to eliminate barriers and make higher education accessible for all students.
