Education program in the Valley promotes higher learning

A group of college recruiters are expected to answer questions today at area high schools and at the Imperial Valley Mall as part of Higher Education Week II.

Javier Ramos, coordinator of the event with the Imperial County Office of Education, said high school juniors are the focus of the program that is in its seventh year.

Nineteen recruiters from colleges like the University of California, San Diego, and California State University, Chico, made a stop Monday at Calipatria High School.

The recruiters are scheduled to show up at Calexico, Holtville and Southwest high schools throughout today, Ramos said. In the fall, Higher Education Week I focused on seniors, he said.

The spring program is a little different this year with a college fair at Imperial Valley Mall for the first time to allow students and parents throughout the county to stop by and ask questions, Ramos said.

Recruiters will be available at the mall today from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Ramos said. Making recruiters available at the mall was done since having it at a local high school had a low turnout, Ramos said.

“That’s the reason behind it,” he said.

On Wednesday recruiters are expected to show up at high schools in Brawley, Imperial and at Central Union High School in El Centro.

The Higher Education Week program is aimed at giving juniors a chance to meet with college recruiters who can provide them one day with “exposure” to visit a college campus, Ramos said.

Anne Mallory, ICOE superintendent, praised the program for its long-term goal of getting high school juniors to think about what they’ll do once they get out.

“I think this gives an opportunity to juniors that senior year is critical and for them to think about what they are going to do after school,” Mallory said. “It’s a good thing for kids to have.”