KidWorks believes in beating the odds. While in 2018, the average U.S. national high school graduation rate was 84 percent (according to the latest available data from the government’s National Center for Education Statistics)—at KidWorks we have an impressive 100 percent high school graduation rate!
We are very proud that 17 “Class of 2019” high school seniors enrolled in our programs are graduating on time and 100 percent are enrolled in college/university this fall:
Samantha Avalos - Valley HS/Santa Ana College
Guadalupe Barerra - Godinez HS/UCI
Bryant Busto - Valley HS/Santa Ana College
Erika Charco - Godinez HS/UCLA
Maria Contreras - Mater Dei HS/CS Northridge
Giselle Esparza- Segerstrom HS/CS Fullerton
Karen Gallardo-Cano - Valley HS/UC Berkeley
Haide Gutierrez - Godinez Fundamental/UCI
Jennifer Heredia – Valley HS/
Marco Jiminez - Godinez HS/Santa Ana College
Lucero Ornelas - Cesar Chavez HS/Santa Ana College
Sergio Ortiz - Beckman HS/CS Fullerton
Nathan Roman - Godinez HS/Santa Ana College
Isabel Rivas - Century HS/UC Riverside
Edwin Ruiz - Godinez HS/Santa Ana College
Ruben Ruiz - Mater Dei HS/Grand Canyon University
Lesly Vega - Santa Ana HS/Cypress College
“This is the fifth straight year KidWorks has achieved both of these 100 percent goals for our high school seniors,” says Erika Sanchez, our College & Career Coordinator. “We are helping to create the skilled and productive employees of tomorrow when students complete high school and go on to colleges and universities. Our partnerships with Orange County businesses tell us that a wide variety of professions, occupations and industries will benefit from our decades-long focus on education.”
Our graduating seniors are excited not only about what they have achieved, but also for the educational opportunities ahead. Here’s what a few wanted to share with KidWorks’ friends:
"KidWorks is a place where I can walk in everyday and know that I am going to learn something new. I've learned leadership and communication skills that I'll be able to use my entire life,” says Sergio.
"KidWorks has been a family I’ve grown up with and made many friends; it’s been a place that I consider home since I’ve spent a lot of my time there and have grown close to the leaders,” says Giselle.
"KidWorks has impacted my entire family. I see that my parents are incredibly supportive of me leaving for college because they feel prepared due to the workshops they have attended through KidWorks. My siblings and I benefit from homework help, tutoring and support from the staff. We benefit from the experiences that KidWorks has provided us,” says Haide.
Although our students have graduated high school, their journey with KidWorks is not complete. We continue to walk alongside our high school graduates as they pursue higher education through our KidWorks College Success Initiative™, through which we now serve students “fromPre-K to B.A.,” making an 18-year commitment to each student at KidWorks.
Just as impressive is that this year six former KidWorks students are graduating with four-year degrees from colleges and universities—and one has earned her master’s degree:
College Graduates
Jennifer Avena—Sonoma State
Sandra Cervantes—CSU Long Beach
Daisy Lozada—CSU Fullerton
Sonia Quijano—CSU Fullerton
Sandibel Ramirez—US Berkeley
Karen Vallardes—Cal Baptist
Masters Graduates
Xitlaly Sanchez—UCLA
Thank you for supporting KidWorks’ education programs—and please join us as we congratulate the hard-working class of 2019—both our high school and college/university graduates.