Creating a college-going culture in Arvin

Arvin High School students face negative expectations about their prospects for college—the legacy of low graduation rates weighs on them, and it's hard to imagine their options beyond the Bakersfield area. But there are scholarships and financial aid opportunities that can bring college within their reach. A group of dedicated students who want to raise the ambitions of their peers organized a college fair for Arvin High students—the school's first college fair organized by students. "We are used to letting our surroundings define us, and we are accustomed to being told that we’re lucky if we make it to college... Many Arvin students, especially those who would be the first in their family to go to college, don’t picture themselves as future college students. It’s time to change this." Read a commentary by an Arvin student on South Kern Sol.