Local Nonprofit Helps Students Pave Road to College

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Students and parents took their first steps on the road to affording college Wednesday night when local nonprofit MAPS 4 College held its annual Cash for College Financial Aid Workshop at the Morgan Park community center.

The workshop was organized to answer any questions that the high school seniors or their moms and dads had about finding funds for college. Through a partnership with the city of Baldwin Park, MAPS 4 College for the past two years has been helping local students plan their academic futures, offering everything from workshops to leadership techniques to the opportunity to talk one-on-one with admissions counselors.

“I got involved as a freshman and I just decided to stay,” said Marilyn Ayala, 17, a MAPS 4 College volunteer and Baldwin Park High School senior. “Now, I’m sort of the one my friends go to when they need to find out things about college. I get to be the one to answer their questions." 

At Wednesday night’s event, Ayala and other volunteers were on hand to help some of their classmates learn the ropes of financial aid and get some of their own questions answered.

Sarai Koo, CEO of MAPS 4 College, said one of the organization's goals is to ensure that college is accessible to Baldwin Park sudents.

"These events are really geared at being a learning experience for both the students and their parents," said Koo. "What we want to do is become a resource that helps provide access, particularly for low-income families who may not have known about what their options are." 

“I’ll be the first generation to go to college,” said Yadira Guevara, 18, a MAPS 4 College volunteer and Sierra Vista High School senior. Several of Guevara's fellow volunteers will also be the first in their families to seek higher education. Now, thanks in part to the exposure they've gotten from MAPS 4 College, they are planning to pursue study in such fields as marine biology, engineering, architecture and nursing. 

From filling out federal financial aid applications to learning the differences among the various types of California student grants, the workshop attendees received a crash course in paying for college. Representatives from Pasadena City College were even on hand to lead the discussion, explaining to the families how to submit the proper forms and meet the deadlines.

The financial aid workshop is just one of the programs sponsored by Maps 4 College. Next month, a youth summit entitled "What Would Youth Do?" is being held at the Julia McNeill Senior Center to help instill leadership skills in local students.

With Census Bureau statistics showing Latinos make up barely 13 percent of full-time college students, any and all efforts to boost enrollment are welcomed. 

"We work hard to promote lifelong learning," said Koo. "Some of the other initiatives we have focus on healthy family relationships, and broadening perspectives." 

"Essentially, we want to help our students focus on what their individual passions are, and we want to teach them how to get there," Koo went on. "This is a vital generation. We need to invest in their future and give them the tools to succeed." 

For more information about MAPS 4 College, or to learn how to participate in the March 24 youth summit, families can visit the nonprofit's Web site.