Educating Children of Color
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Derek Garcia is a second semester sophomore at CSU-Pueblo, majoring in Automotive Industrial Management, with a long-term goal to earn a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. Someday he would like to own his own shop and design cars of the future!

Derek was a 2008 graduate from Palmer High School and ECOC scholarship recipient, with an overall GPA of 3.5, earning an academic letter along the way for maintaining a 4.0 for a year. He said, “School was a struggle for me at times, but I really wanted to succeed so I spent lots of time hitting the books and working hard”.  In addition to focusing on his studies, Derek was on the Varsity wrestling team, played a little football, and participated in a Mexican traditional dance team.

He started his college career at PPCC, and transferred to CSU-Pueblo after visiting both the Ft. Collins and Pueblo campuses. Derek went on to say, “Everyone was really nice and friendly at both CSU - Ft. Collins and CSU - Pueblo, but I felt more comfortable in Pueblo with smaller classes and a little closer to home”. Derek worked over the summer for a roofing company, and receives enough financial aid to only take minimal loan help.

Both of his parents are excited and happy with Derek’s college plans and state “will help any way they can.” For all those high school students who think college might not be for them, Derek has this advice: “Try it. You don’t know what you might be able to do until you try, and you don’t know what you might like until you experience many different things. Check out lots of schools and find the one that best fits you.” Derek also says that the best thing you can do is “make good friends—people who are a positive influence and are also working hard to succeed—stay clear of negative influences.”

His biggest challenge—being “responsible” for himself and managing his freedom maturely. Derek credits his high school counselor, Mr. Powell, with being a great help in his journey toward college. “Thanks Mr. Powell!” Good luck Derek, and keep in touch—we’re all cheering for you.

Dulcenea Egan, now a Senior nursing major at Colorado Mesa Univ., received one of the ECOC Summit’s first scholarships. She was on the Dean’s list during her Junior year, and she received enough scholarship and financial aide that she was able to take out only small and very manageable loans. She works three jobs--work study on campus, as a nanny to 2 little boys 20 hours a week, and as a Mary Kay rep! She gets good grades, and is actively involved in the Catholic Campus Ministry.

Her best advice to students about adjusting to college life: “Stay busy, manage your time well, and pick your friends very carefully. Being part of the right peer group can help you a lot--being part of the wrong crowd can be a serious problem and lead you down a less successful path. When you stay busy with school, work, and activities you don’t have time to find trouble!!”

Paul Browning, who will start his sophomore year at CSU-Pueblo., received one of the ECOC Summit’s 2009 scholarships. He is a Mass Communications major with a 3.1 GPA--and will play on the CSU football team this fall at wide receiver!

Paul feels the best things college offers is a real chance to be “responsible” and “feel like a grown-up.” He stresses the importance of “doing things when they’re supposed to be done--set priorities--and surround yourself with people with the same kinds of priorities you have--so you don’t get drawn off track.”

Paul said his counselor at Widefield was really helpful in making sure he got his college applications, scholarships applications, etc. done in a timely manner. He had to follow-up with her but she was always there for him. Advice to students looking at going to college: “Be ready to be responsible--be true to yourself.”

Monica says the biggest surprise about college was getting homework on day one! Always a good student, she has had to work hard. Besides AP classes, she took both French and German in high school, and is a native Spanish speaker. She felt best prepared for college because of her AP English class, which taught her how to write effectively—so all those college essays are a piece of cake! The biggest challenge was staying on top of everything when she took 5 classes at a time while working full-time.

Besides her academic focus in high school, Monica was in the choir and served on student government. She was also active in her church, singing in the choir and involved in a variety of volunteer projects. What would she tell those students back at Harrison who wonder if they can handle college? “You might struggle, but it will be worth it. College is so much better than high school. Less drama, more fun, you are in charge of your schedule and your life. You’ll expand your horizons, meet lots of new people. You can do it!”

Christopher Young, a 2010 graduate of Doherty High School and winner of a 2009 ECOC scholarship, will be a sophomore this fall at CSU Pueblo. Chris really enjoyed his freshman year at CSU, “It was great being off by myself, proving ‘I can do it.’” Chris said he found everyone at CSU “cool” and helpful—from the other students to the professors.

He always knew his family wanted him to go to college so that he could pursue a career that would allow him to have a good future, and started working on the process during his junior year, with help from his counselor. The counselors at CSU encouraged him to major in Industrial Engineering because “I’m good with my hands and thinking about unique ways to approach things.”

Chris was able to obtain good scholarship assistance and also works—during the summer mostly but also during school when possible. This year he’ll be redshirting with the CSU football team (the Lobos) and next year hopes to be playing fullback. Chris loves college and looks forward to another challenging year.

Brittany Barrett is a 2011 graduate of Coronado High School and 2010 scholarship recipient of ECOC. Brittany is attending UNC in Greeley this year where she will be a music education major. “My high school band director (at Mitchell) and his wife were both graduates of UNC and made it sound like a great school—and we took a band trip there. I fell in love with the campus and can’t wait to get started on my college journey. It’s so exciting to think of learning so many new things!”

Brittany joins our other scholarship recipients by recommending to high school students that they not procrastinate. “Get started early on college and financial aid applications. Talk to your counselor—mine was helpful at keeping me on schedule.” Brittany was able to get enough financial aid that her first year will not require any student loans—tuition and fees, room and board, books, everything will be covered! She encourages her friends, some of whom don’t see themselves as college material, to think again!

“Anyone can go to college if they want to—you just have to find a way to believe in yourself. Even if you didn’t like school in high school, college is a whole new world for you and you need to consider it as a possibility.”

Good luck Brittany—we’ll watch for you in the marching band at UNC’s football games!

Emily and Ashley Quick Bear, graduates of Palmer High School, will be starting their college journey at CSU-Ft. Collins this fall, both majoring in Biology/Premed and planning to be pediatricians.

Being twins, there are many things they say they did alike--like waiting too long to start applying to college--and both would recommend starting much earlier, early in the junior year, and finding out all about how the process works. Both girls agreed that it was a longer, more rigorous process than they expected.

While both girls graduated with a high school GPA of 4.6, they stressed the importance of not only concentrating on grades at the beginning of high school, but making sure to be involved in the community. Volunteering at Memorial Hospital was something they both did, and Ashley was a tutor for elementary students at the local library and worked with bible study at her church.

Emily chose CSU because of its reputation as a research institution--Ashley fell in love with the campus after a visit, though her first choices were Univ. of Pennsylvania and UC-Berkley--but she didn't apply early enough to get in.

Both girls stressed the importance of working with your counselor to make sure you know the time line for financial aid applications, school applications and essays.

“It's a lot more work than I thought it would be,” Emily said, “and needs to be taken seriously--even if you think you're good at everything and can get it done quickly!” She added, “Remember that little scholarships can add up to big money--apply for them.”

Marissa Blackwood, a 2011 graduate of Fountain-Ft Carson High School and 2011 ECOC scholarship recipient, will be a first year psych major at UNC this year. Marissa’s twin brother, a Daniel’s Scholarship recipient, will also start college this year at CU as an engineering major. (Her older brother is an art major at CSU-Pueblo!).

Marissa’s mom, a single parent, encouraged her children to attend college so they would have good career options. “High school started out hard for me,” Marissa shared, “and I didn’t really know if I could do the work. But I worked really hard, and my grandparents inspired me. They owned a heating and a/c business and were successful, and I wanted to be a success also.”

Marissa applied to three schools, was accepted at all of them, and felt that being “a well-rounded person really helped. I did volunteer work at the YMCA, the zoo and worked with a Christmas program giving gifts to needy children.” She wanted to make sure other students knew that test scores and your GPA aren't all a school considers for acceptance.

Marissa said her counselor changed three times while she was in high school, once during her senior year, so “it’s important that you assume responsibility for knowing deadlines for financial aide and school applications.” Between scholarships and grants Marissa won’t need to work her first year, but she thinks she will look for a part-time job anyway. She thinks it will help her stay focused and on schedule. Her best advise to other students, “Keep your head in the game. It’s hard to catch up once you get behind, so work hard and stay focused.”

Good luck Marissa!!