UCSD offers two primary K-12 student outreach initiatives in the Imperial Valley area. These comprehensive programs, administered through the university's office of Student Educational Advancement, are: the Early Academic Outreach Program, and the Upward Bound Math & Science Program.

In addition, the office Student Educational Advancement partners with the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP), a statewide educational outreach consortium, in providing additional assistance for K-12 students and their parents in Imperial Valley.

The basic mission of these initiatives, as with many other student outreach programs at UCSD, is to motivate and prepare low-income and underrepresented students for college and career success, including admission to UCSD and other UC campuses.

Says Joseph Watson, UCSD Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs: "One of the major challenges facing universities today is the need to increase the number of underrepresented and low-income youth who are eligible for admittance to college. What is becoming increasingly clear is that we as a society cannot expect to boost the presence of these youths in our colleges without focused efforts to prepare them early academically in their pre-college years."

UCSD notes that such college-prep efforts, especially when administered as early as elementary and middle school, can have a significant impact on increasing these students' admission to UCSD, other University of California campuses, and other institutions of higher learning.

Here is a breakdown of these programs and their services in Imperial Valley:

Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP). EAOP is a University of California-systemwide program that has been in place at UCSD and other UC campuses since 1976. UCSD opened its EAOP Imperial Valley satellite office in 1980. Since that time, the office -- through an array of informational, motivational and academic initiatives -- has literally helped thousands of students in the area realize their dream of a college education.

EAOP's Imperial Valley office currently provides college preparation services to more than 5,000 students of diverse backgrounds at 22 area schools (from the elementary to high school levels) in various rural communities. And in the summer, educational enrichment sessions are held on the UCSD campus and elsewhere for students in grades 7 through 12. In addition, EAOP also works closely with students' parents, school administrators, teachers and counselors, and community partners in its mission.

The following is a brief description of the primary academic and motivational programs provided by the Imperial Valley office:

Online, distance tutoring - To be officially launched in February 2002 at Calexico High School, this program will allow students to be tutored online in math by UCSD undergraduates based in a special Outreach Communications Center on the La Jolla campus. Students can see, hear and communicate in writing with their tutors via computer "web cams," and through interactive math software used in the tutoring sessions, students receive added assistance and motivation in math. The program builds upon the success of UCSD's pilot web cam tutoring initiative which was launched last year at Gompers Secondary School in the San Diego Unified District and recently instituted in the Pala and Pauma Indian reservation areas in northeast San Diego County.

PSAT/SAT I Workshops. EAOP provides free practice testing sessions for the PSAT and SAT for students in the 9th, 10th and 11th grades.

Summer Math & Writing Camp (held in cooperation with Cal-SOAP). Provides instruction 2-4 hours a day, five days a week for 3-5 weeks over the summer for 7th and 8th graders.

Native American Student Outreach. Working closely with the San Pasqual Valley Unified School District and the area Tribal Council, the EAOP Imperial Valley office provides academic support and motivation for Native American middle school and high school students in the district.

UC Prep. EAOP 11th graders who are UC eligible are invited with their parents to attend a pre-recruitment program in which students have the opportunity to speak to representatives from each UC campus to receive details on how to become eligible for UC enrollment.

Initial Group Presentations. These special sessions provide 6th and 7th graders and their parents with information regarding the importance of a college education, University of California entrance requirements, other California colleges and universities, career orientation and other details.

Parent Orientation Meetings. EAOP conducts orientation meetings for parents of 7th and 8th graders which provides parents with information on preparing their child for college admission, and financial aid assistance available.

One-to-One & Group Counseling. This service advises students in 8th-11th grades on academic preparation, including development of academic plans.

UC Application Workshops & Follow Up Sessions. Assists 12th graders in completing the UC application process and in answering related questions.

Financial Aid Day & Workshops (Sponsored jointly with Cal-SOAP and Imperial County Post Secondary Consortium of Higher Education). Assists students in completing the FAFSA and in answering related questions.

College - Making it Happen. This presentation instructs parents of 8th graders on how to help their children make the smooth transition from middle school to high school.

Campus Tours: EAOP 8th graders attend a one-day tour of the UCSD campus in La Jolla. During the visit, they receive important college-prep and career orientation information from faculty and staff.

Sponsorship of an EAOP Club. This is a student club at Brawley Union High School that exposes students in 9th-12th grade to college-going motivation and information.

EAOP also represents UCSD at various college and career fairs in Imperial Valley each year, and at college-going initiatives sponsored by the University of California Office of the President, Imperial Valley College and other partners.

Of the approximately 500 high school seniors the Imperial Valley office serves each year, about 50 percent are eligible to attend UCSD and other UC institutions upon graduation, and the remaining are eligible to attend other four-year or two-year institutions of their choice.

Upward Bound Math & Science. The purpose of this program is to motivate and prepare high school students to pursue college degrees in math, science, computer science, and engineering. Established at UCSD in 1999 and funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Upward Bound Math & Science Program is part of a larger umbrella of nationwide programs called TRIO.

In Imperial Valley, Upward Bound Math & Science is active at three schools: Brawley High, Calipatria High, and Central High, where 30 students are participants.

Although begun less than three years ago, the Upward Bound Math & Science initiative in Imperial Valley is already beginning to yield impressive results. For example, of the 14 high school seniors in the program, nine are applying to University of California schools, and all 14 seniors are expected to attend college in the fall of 2002. Three students are listed among the top 4 percent of their class and are guaranteed admission to at least one UC campus.

Upward Bound Math & Science provides support and motivation towards academic excellence and participation in mathematics and science. To this end, it sponsors a mentorship program with UCSD's Office of Graduate Studies and Research which pairs graduate students with high school students in working on research projects in laboratory settings. Ten Imperial Valley high school students have participated in the mentorship program thus far, including two students who worked closely with a Salk Institute graduate student in cell genetic cloning last summer.

In addition, Upward Bound Math & Science conducts an intensive five-week Summer Residential Program in which students live on the UCSD campus while pursuing college-level courses in math, science, computer science, English composition and foreign language. During their stay at UCSD, students work on a science project which they present at the end of the summer. Projects of the past have included study of light refraction, music and technology, DNA isolation, and gene amplification.

During the academic year, services provided include: weekly after-school tutoring sessions in math and science; monthly Saturday sessions; academic, career and personal counseling; college preparatory workshops; mentoring from college students; college financial aid counseling, and science field trips. Participation in area school science fairs and related activities is strongly encouraged.

To participate in Upward Bound Math and Science, students must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, express an interest in pursuing a career in math, science, computer science, or engineering, be committed to participate in the program through high school graduation, in addition to meeting other requirements.