Spring is an exciting time at high schools across the country as anxious Seniors wait to hear about college acceptances or make other plans for the future.
That’s true too at the UCLA Community School in Koreatown where last year more than 90 percent of student went on to college. This year’s class of 106 students has similar ambitions and many are planning to head off to two or four year colleges to pursue their dreams.
For many of these students however, the cost of college is a very difficult challenge. The school is nestled in one of the most highly densely populated areas of Los Angeles where the majority of families live below the federal poverty line. One hundred percent of UCLA Community School students are eligible for free and reduced lunch. For these students, sometimes a few hundred dollars can be the difference in being able to attend college or not.
That’s where the UCLA Community School Scholarship Fund comes in. Each year the fund raises money to try and make sure the needs of every student are met. From gifts of $50 for books and supplies, to several thousand dollars to meet gaps in payments for tuition, the Fund provides what financial support it can to support students in need.
“For some our students and their families, the lack of $100 to pay a housing deposit can literally be the difference between going to college or not, says Sarah Bang, UCLA Community Schools Alumni Network Manager. “We try to find a way to make sure every student gets the support they need.
“Our kids are awesome, they are an amazing group and they deserve our support. We hope that the Bruin family, and non-Bruins too will donate to the Fund and help our students.
Please make a donation to the fund online or please send a check to “The UCLA Foundation, UCLA Community School Scholarship Fund” via mail to UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, 2043 Moore Hall, Box 951521, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1521.
Photo by Miguel Garcia, UCLA Community School