WEST SACRAMENTO – About 75 kindergarteners from the Washington Unified School District (WUSD) in West Sacramento will attend a special “Kinders Go To College” event from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, May 19, 2017 at Sacramento City College’s (SCC) West Sacramento Center. The students will be treated to a number of special college “classes” (10-minute workshops) in fields such as dental assisting and hygiene, nursing, art, public service, and robotics. 

Sacramento City College is partnering with the Yolo County Office of Education (YCOE), Washington Unified, the City of West Sacramento and PG&E on this unique program.

“We support our partners at the Washington Unified School District and Sacramento City College who are changing the expectations around college for our community early on,” said West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon. “This program complements our existing investments in college and career preparation through the Kids’ Home Run, the City of West Sacramento’s comprehensive cradle-to-college-and-career initiative that combines universal preschool and a paid internship program while providing families with a guaranteed college savings account starting at Kindergarten and students with up to one year of community college fee free. Together we are sending a strong message to our residents and the region that West Sacramento is the best place to have a child, raise a family and go to school.”

Each kindergartener is teamed with a middle school student, while high school students help oversee and guide the group. The interaction with older students at different stages in their education helps the younger students envision a future that includes academic success.

Participating schools are Westfield Village Elementary (K-5), Elkhorn Village Elementary (K-8), and River City High School and Yolo High School.

“We need to increase the college-going rate in West Sacramento and Yolo County,” said Art Pimentel, Dean of SCC’s West Sacramento Center. “The earlier we start the process of getting students to know about college, the better we do at getting them here when the time is right.”

In addition to the workshops, students will receive a special T-shirt honoring them as the high school Class of 2029, a backpack and other goodies from SCC and the YCOE.

"The kinders wear their 'Class of 2029' shirts with pride and excitement,” said Lori Perez, Director of College and Career Readiness for the Yolo County Office of Education. “This unique event provides the opportunity for students from all grade levels served to learn from leaders representing post-secondary and careers. The collaboration between all organizations involved is an amazing testament of community support for West Sacramento students."

“The Washington Unified School District is fully committed to ensuring all students are college and career bound upon high school graduation,” said Linda C. Luna, WUSD Superintendent. “Kinders Go to College is a program to institute the possibilities of and access to college beginning in kindergarten. It is true that it takes a village to raise a child. Together, with the City of West Sacramento and the Sacramento City College, all students will become college and career ready.”

We believe this event will have tremendous visual appeal, both photographically and for video, beginning at approximately 9:15 a.m. on that day, as the kindergarteners are led by junior high school “mentors” to each different learning station, and high school group leaders. College officials and county office of education personnel will be available for interviews as well.