In early August, Partnership Scholars Program hosted the 2022 College Success Retreat at the University of Southern California. After two years of virtual retreats, we were thrilled to come together in person. Twenty-eight rising juniors and seniors from the El Monte and Lennox regions spent the weekend at the university preparing for the upcoming college application season. Students had the chance to experience college life by staying in residence halls, eating at dining halls and exploring the beautiful campus. On Sunday, we were joined by rising sophomores for workshops on mental health, financial education and to hear from PSP alumni about their college experiences.

PSP Alumni Panel: Valeria (Cal State Long Beach), Patricia (UC Irvine), Kimberly (UC Irvine), Jessica (Vassar College), and Angel (Bucknell University)

Through a series of workshops, scholars gained a better understanding about the college admissions process, financial aid and scholarships. Our wonderful mentors shared their personal college experiences and advised students during the sessions. Five PSP alumni joined scholars to share their unique paths to college. They shed light on the challenges that first generation college students face  in higher education institutions and served as a source of inspiration to their younger peers. Click here to see the agenda for the weekend.

The retreat not only focused on preparing students for the college application process but also on teaching basic financial literacy skills and promoting personal wellness. PSP partnered with The Financial Space to bring scholars an engaging session that focused on teaching students strategies to build wealth. All scholars indicated that their confidence level to build a budget increased by the end of the session. In an anonymous poll, students were asked what they learned during the presentation. One student shared, “Investing can be a good thing and passive income is something to strive for.” Another scholar expressed, “It’s possible to build generational wealth.” PSP will continue to offer opportunities throughout the year to help students acquire and strengthen their financial literacy skills.

PSP strives to provide students the tools and resources they need to take care of their mental health. High school students deal with high levels of stress as they juggle academics, extracurriculars and home responsibilities along with the added stressors of a global pandemic. After a long day of college workshops, scholars had the opportunity to participate in a yoga session. The class was led by The Yoga Tree – a local BIPOC owned yoga studio. Most students tried yoga for the first time and seemed well acquainted by the end of the session.

Scholars participated in a Mental Health Workshop led by PSP volunteer mentor, Christian Diaz. Students learned simple practices they can implement in their daily routines to manage the challenges of everyday life. At the end of the session, students and mentors received gratitude journals and mindfulness cards.

We are incredibly grateful for all our scholars, volunteers, donors, alumni and community partners who helped make our College Success Retreat possible. PSP is extremely proud of our scholars and we look forward to their future successes.