10th Annual Launch to College and Career Event Prepares Seniors to Transition From High School to College

At this year’s 10th annual Launch to College and Career Event, our Green Dot Public Schools California seniors took over universities and colleges across Los Angeles for a day full of learning and networking. After round table discussions with current students and graduates, our scholars are more prepared than ever to transition into the next phase of their lives.

Launch to College, an event put on by Green Dot California’s Counseling and Persistence team, is a personalized experience for our seniors, including campus tours and introductions to programs and services. We had the opportunity to speak with students who participated in Launch to College at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and learn how they gained confidence, knowledge, and clarity about the journey ahead of them.

Student Stories

Faith Orellana, senior at Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School (ODLH), is excited to be enrolled at the University of California, Davis, and calmed nerves by making new friends she’ll see on campus in the fall. “The thing that made me more confident was seeing more kids that are going to my school. I will know at least one more person from outside [ODLH],” she said.

Attending California State University, Northridge, to study computer science is Ánimo Venice Charter High School senior Anthony Rivera Chavez. Launch to College helped Anthony feel more informed about what to expect at Northridge. “I learned that college depends on how hard you work and how much you want it. If you want it a lot, it’s going to be easier.” It doesn’t end there, Anthony is looking forward to the opportunities college provides outside of academics too, like joining the school’s volleyball team.

Ánimo Leadership Charter High School senior Esther Imoowo, faces a tough decision having been accepted into the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Southern California, and UCLA. “I’m still trying to decide, but I’m very positive and very excited to go to college,” she said. However, Esther gained clarity about student life and clubs at UCLA from a recent graduate, which she said helped ease expectations.

At Green Dot California, we are dedicated to ensuring our seniors have transition support that empowers them every step of the way and prepares them for success in college, leadership, and life. Through events like Launch to College, we’re eliminating barriers and closing the gap between our students and their dreams.