Santa Maria High School (SMHS) and Pioneer Valley High School (PVHS) successfully hosted the 1 st annual Freshman Jumpstart events on their campuses, with over 40 students participating at each site.
The events took place from August 5th to 7th and included a variety of activities aimed at helping incoming freshmen transition smoothly into high school. During the first two days, students engaged in team-building exercises, toured the campuses, and received guidance on logging into their Outlook and Aeries accounts. Upperclassmen also spoke about the importance of good study habits and getting involved in campus activities.
On the third day, students had the opportunity to visit the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). This experience gave them a glimpse of college life and served as motivation to work hard over the next four years to become eligible to apply during their senior year.
Feedback from the students has been overwhelmingly positive. One incoming SMHS student shared, “Being on a college campus feels like a vacation.” Another PVHS student expressed, “I didn’t know there were so many sports or clubs to join in high school. I’m excited to join.”
“These events were a great success, and we look forward to supporting our freshmen as they begin their high school journey,’’ said High School Readiness Liaison Natallie De Leija.
This event was organized by Ms. De Leija and EAOP Coordinators Nancy Pacheco (SMHS) and Juan Martinez (PVHS).
