College Track Summer Edition

2012

What % I s %Co l lege %Track? %B y C o l l e g e T r a c k S t u d e n t s

COLLEGE TRACK IS A NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANAZATION THAT EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR DREAMS OF A COLLEGE DEGREE. IT TAKES COURSE OVER TEN YEARS, BEGINNING FROM THE SUMMER BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE GRADUATION. COLLEGE TRACK ISN’T LIKE OTHER PROGRAMS, THEY HELP PROVIDE THE SUPPORT YOU NEED, AND ONCE YOU REACH COLLEGE THEY ALSO HELP YOU FINISH IT. IF YOU DREAM BIG, YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS. CT STUDENTS: WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS COLLEGE TRACK? KIM MERINO: GREAT STUDENTS CT STUDENTS: WHY DID YOU WANT TO WORK WITH COLEGE TRACK? KIM MERINO: I WANT TO WORK WITH COLLEGE TRACK BECAUSE MY WHOLE CAREER HAS BEEN WORKING WITH STUDENTS CT STUDENTS: WHY DID YOU WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE? KIM MERINO: MY FAMILY SACRIFED A LOT FOR ME TO HAVE A BETTER FUTURE.

Fie ld &Tr ips &The$Grammy$Museum$

By$Diana$Hernandez$

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It $was$a$45$minute$bus$ride$to$the$Grammy$Museum$in$Downtown$LA.$ $When$we$got$off$the$bus, $we$walked$a$few$streets$to$Fidum$Park$and$we$played$“Wizards$Elves$and$Giants”$after$we$were$done$playing,$we$walked$back$to$the$Grammy$Museum.$I $was$happy$and$excited.$I $couldn’t$wait$to$go$inside$and$explore. $The$first$thing$I$saw$when$I$walked$in$was$a$grey$and$shiny$elevator. $We$started$from$the$top$to$the$bottom,$from$the$third$floor$to$the$first$floor. $The$third$floor$had$a$table$with$headphones$to$listen$to$music. $You$would$pick$a$song$on$the$table$and$it $would$play. $ $ $

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Los$Angeles$County$Museum$of$Art$By$Imelda$Mercado$

& On$July$13,$2012$most$College$Track$students$and$teachers$attended$the$museum$field$trip. $We$went$to$the$Grammy$Museum$first, $before$hopping$back$on$the$bus$for$the$ride$to$LACMA$(Los$Angeles$County$Museum$of$Art). $We$didn’t $have$a$lot$of$time$to$look$around,$but$it $was$stil l $a$ lot$of$fun.$We$walked$under$a$huge$black$sculpture, $before$going$outside$and$walking$in$between$yellow$tubes$that$resembled$spaghetti . $After$a$very$quick$tour$around$the$museum,$including$a$look$around$the$James$Bond$room$and$a$glance$at$a$mummy,$we$exited$the$museum$to$walk$under$the$“Levitated$Mass”. $The$“Levitated$Mass”$was$a$huge$thirty$ton$rock$that$was, $seemingly$suspended$in$the$air, $but$was$really$balanced$on$the$banisters$it $rested$on.$We$walked$under$a$thirty$ton$rock, $ laughing$all $the$way.$We$posed$to$take$photos$beside$the$rock,$before$returning$to$the$bus$to$get$to$school$again, $have$our$unity$circle, $and$then$go$home.$

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Topanga$Canyon$State$Park$By$Angel$Aguiar$

$ On July 20, 2012 we went to Topanga Canyon State Park on a hiking trip. Everyone had a great time during the trip and we all collaborated to overcome challenges together. Some of the challenges included a rattle snake on the trail on our way back and going down steep hills, where you are forced to run down. Luckily Mr. Rios knew what to do about the snake and scared it away, and everyone got by safely. We thank Will.i.am and the i.am.angel foundation for supplying us with wonderful chicken and caprese sandwiches with a side of potato chips and a delicious cookie.

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Digital Storytelling By Lucero Vasquez

College Track has many amazing things. One of the most amazing things is digital storytelling taught by Kim Merino. I learned how to use the computer program: Scratch. We’re doing a project on Scratch on how we can transform Boyle Heights. If we win this project, we receive a four-hundred dollar scholarship. There are also many fun and educational activities in class. I learned how to use animation to create a story and it is something I didn’t know before. Ms. Merino made Digital Storytelling a memorable experience, and I hope to learn more about computer programming in the future.

“One of the most

amazing things is

digital storytelling

taught by Kim

Merino.”

College&Track&By&Clarisa&Higuera&

&In&college&track&I&am&taking&a&class&named,&College&Advisory.&College&Advisory&class&mainly&

focuses&on&college&to&prepare&us&for&the&future.&This&class&is&really&helpful&because&the&teacher&gives&us&advice&what&college&or&university&is&better&for&us.&For&example,&Harvard,&I&learned&that&is&a&private&school,&and&there&really&know&for&there&law&school,&and&it’s&a&fourCyear&university.&Also&

in&my&math&class&I&learned&what&would&be&my&budget&if&I&went&to&Harvard.digtal&story&telling&class&we&could&earn&a&$400&scholarship.&I&think&all&these&classes&are&really&helpful&and&going&to&

help&in&the&future.&

7/30/12

Changing Boyle Heights Step TWO By Miguel Rios

Not only can we use College Track to change statistics, but we can also change Boyle Heights physically. It seems like a radical idea, but it can be achieved through collaboration and dedicating our time to restoring the beauty of Boyle Heights. Just like how we plan for our field trips, we can at least once a month plan community service like cleaning areas that are filthy or restoring murals. We are the first of College Track students at Roosevelt and it is our duty to set the example (not just for incoming College Track students), but for others that aren’t even in our program. If everyone can do his or her part in the community we can achieve the impossible. If we can believe we can achieve. Planning to do community service is just one of the first steps in changing Boyle Heights inside out. All it takes a little team work and dream for the better future of Boyle Heights. For example, we can easily start by waiting to get home to throw our trash away instead of having to throw it in the streets. This is an effective example of community service that anyone can do. But it isn’t all about picking up trash. We need to have great role models which every teen now a day needs. We need to change our students. After all, we are the future of Boyle Heights.