COLLEGE WORKS PROVES AGAIN TO BE SUCCESSFUL August, 2007

Irwindale, CA – Celebrating its 10th year, the College Works Program realized its most successful and innovative college experience ever! Once again, local high school students from the East San Gabriel Valley area participated and completed an intense and insightful two-week life-changing experience away from home.

LA Works, in partnership with the University of New Mexico, continues to operate the College Works Program. Designed to promote educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged and at-risk high school students, selected students are exposed to a complete college experience that includes various components, such as living and working on campus while attending academic classes in English and Mathematics and interacting with other students. High school students are able to learn first-hand about the benefits of earning a college degree and receive academic advisement, admissions and financial aid information to prepare for college while earning high school and college credit for this activities.

Salvador Velasquez, chief executive officer of LA Works, commented, "We are extremely proud to be able to report continued success with our CollegeWorks program. I am pleased with the exceptionally gratifying relationship we have developed with the University; together we have succeeded in helping many youth. It is particularly noteworthy that over the past nine years we have helped 93% of our CollegeWorks participants go on to attend some type of post-secondary education. We have students attending USC, the University of New Mexico, and many of our local junior and community colleges… these are students who would not have considered attending college if not for their CollegeWorks experience.”

Students agreed that one of the highlights among many of the College Works program was the hands-on Work Experience and Leadership Training they received. One of the most rewarding projects in which students participated was assisting to build an apartment house for recovering addicts. The teens also participated in the 17 Element Low Ropes course that offers team building and challenging activities while building skills in problem solving, trust, conflict resolution, communication, and listening.

The high school students participated in two cultural excursions that were both educational and enjoyable. Students visited the Pueblo of Acoma, known as “Sky City,” which is situated on a 367-foot high sandstone rock. It is considered to be the oldest inhabited village in the United States.

The teens also went to El Morro National Monument, a waterhole hidden at the base of a massive sandstone bluff. Students learned about ancestral Puebloans who settled on the mesa top of El Morro, drank from the pool and carved messages for hundreds of years…over 2,000 inscriptions and petroglyphs are protected at the ruins.

Founded in 1976 as the primary public job training and placement center for residents of cities in the East San Gabriel Valley, LA Works, a WorkSource Center, improves the quality of life of all customers, including career enhancing and educational opportunities, as well as community and business services. It is our mission to foster an environment of goal attainment for partners and the customers we serve.

LA Works, best known for its federally funded job training and placement services offers a wealth of much needed public services to residents in the east San Gabriel Valley. Services to the community include: Weatherization and Housing Rehabilitation for low-income households, Community Beautification projects for local cities, at-risk Youth Work Experience Programs, College Prep and Youth Mentoring. Job seekers can take advantage of a comprehensive system of training, and placement services.

In addition, LA Works offers services such as Internet Job and Talent Banks, Recruitment Services, Videoconferencing and Consultant Works to assist local businesses with their recruitment and business needs.

For more information about LA Works, contact
Sandy Meza, Public Relations and Business Services Coordinator
LA Works
(626) 960-3964 ext. 2224
sandy.meza@laworks.org

BACK TO THE TOP