College Pathways, headed this year by new guidance counselor Monica Espinoza, aims to offer increased support to students who are at the college entry level and are in traditionally underrepresented groups on college campuses.

“As a district we have recognized the need to do a more effective job of preparing students and supporting students, so that when they do graduate from high school, they will be equipped to make that choice if they want to go to college,” College Pathways program leader Ruth Malen said.

College Pathways was developed last year by counselor Myesha Compton with help from the district office. It primarily focuses on students who are underrepresented in terms of applications and acceptance into four-year colleges. “There is a lot of concern about the huge potential that isn’t being tapped and used and brought on in the way that it should,” Principal Noreen Likins said.

The program aims to address the nationally recognized gap between minorities such as Latino and African-American students and their White and Asian counterparts. According to Likins, the achievement gap at Gunn is relatively narrow, but its mere existence is unacceptable.

Teachers involved in College Pathways meet on a monthly basis to discuss students’ progress in their classes. By pooling their knowledge,they can develop better teaching strategies for their classes. The students also receive resources and advice to help them pursue successful high school and college careers.

The program also includes efforts to reach out to the parent community of these minorities. Parent seminars have been hosted over the years to help acquaint parents, especially those who have not attended college, with what it takes for their children to get in.

The initial group of 24 students who started Pathways last fall are now entering sophomore year. This year the program is picking up a new group of 21 freshmen. “We will be working with these students and trying to make sure they continue to move in the right direction,” Likins said.

Although evidence of the program’s progress will not come immediately, Espinoza remains hopeful. “It’s a long term thing,” she said. “With programs like this, you can’t really judge it right away, but we’ll see it when they’re seniors and they get hopefully all the acceptance letters to whatever colleges they choose.”

Another program, College for Every Student, takes a different approach to the same issue. It targets upperclassmen who will be working with mentors from Ernst and Young and receiving added support with resources and college visiting opportunities.

“Just by raising our awareness and making sure we are doing what we can to get the students on the right pathway to college, the right courses, to maximize that, that’s really the goal of the project,” Malen said. “It’s not changing the nature of classes or of the student’s high school experience, other than increased support."