Alumnus returns to help San Benito High School students better
prepare for college
Not all high school freshmen are as lucky as Bjorn
Nordstrom.
The San Benito High School alumnus, who graduated in 1995, knew
early on he wanted to become a doctor. With this goal in mind, he
went about taking the courses necessary to prepare him for the
rigorous college path that lay before him.
Alumnus returns to help San Benito High School students better prepare for college
Not all high school freshmen are as lucky as Bjorn Nordstrom.
The San Benito High School alumnus, who graduated in 1995, knew early on he wanted to become a doctor. With this goal in mind, he went about taking the courses necessary to prepare him for the rigorous college path that lay before him.
But Nordstrom – who is nearing completion of the medical residency program that will allow him to fulfill his dream – considers himself one of the fortunate ones, a high school student who knew what he wanted to be when he grew up and how to go about making it happen.
Today, Nordstrom is working closely with SBHS staff, including counselors Andy Prisco and Elizabeth Gutierrez, and Principal Krystal Lomanto, to establish a program to help students better prepare for college by making them aware of what courses they should be taking and how hard they should be working.
“My class was somewhat unique, in that everyone I knew was talking about college and where they were going,” Nordstrom said. “But my brother-in-law is set to graduate next year and he hadn’t even thought about college before last year. He has a 4.4 grade point average but he’s convinced now that he won’t get into the college he wants because he started so late.”
SBHS already participates in Advancement Via Individual Determination (see related story), an internationally recognized program designed to better prepare students for successful college and university careers. The goal of AVID, Prisco said, is to ensure that all students, particularly those students in the “middle” who are capable of completing a college path, receive the support they need to be successful in college.
“The AVID program is designed for those ‘middle of the road’ kids who have the potential and ability to meet the requirements of a four-year college if they have the right support and tools,” Prisco said.
Nordstrom’s idea is to create a club that complements AVID by enlisting the help of teachers, student tutors, mentors and the community. The club held its first meeting this week; both Nordstrom and Prisco anticipate the club will hold regular meetings at least twice a month.
“What we hope to do with the club is not only enhance awareness in AVID but to send the message that the ‘I’m going to college’ mentality is one we want them to embrace,” Prisco said. “We want to be able to help them reach that goal.”
Statistically, the number of San Benito students who go on to college is slightly higher than that of nearby districts – approximately 81 percent of seniors from San Benito’s Class of 2008 are now enrolled in either a four-year college or university or a two-year/community college, a figure which has held steady the past few years, Prisco said. Comparably, about 67 percent of Central Coast seniors enrolled in colleges or universities in 2007.
Nordstrom, however, believes there are still students capable of succeeding in college who may be falling through the cracks.
“There are those students who are in the middle, who could go either way,” Nordstrom said. “They need a little bit of guidance, some help, some good behaviors taught to them.”
The club is intended to strengthen interest in academic programs the school already runs, Nordstrom said. The idea is to help students learn what courses they should be taking if they want to go on to college as well as earn passing grades in what are called the A-G courses – classes such as chemistry, U.S. History and Algebra II. Emphasis will be put on academics rather than the other aspects of high school life, Nordstrom said.
“There are so many social activities in high school,” he said. “Sports, for example, play a big part in many students’ lives. They may have seen their uncles, brothers or sisters in the paper for their athletic feats and they want to be like that, too. Well, I think we can do the same thing for academics.”
Nordstrom said he is hoping to involve the community with the club by bringing in mentors who can help students in specific areas as well as coordinating services with existing youth-oriented groups.
“There are so many different organizations out there that work with students and we need to get them involved,” he said. “All of these groups do great things, but they don’t really work together. With this common goal we can do a lot to improve this statistic.”
Another goal is to have older students act as tutors for incoming freshmen.
“Students who are taking these courses kind of become experts,” he said. “They can act as peer counselors and talk to their fellow students about their college plans and emphasize that now is the time to start thinking about these things.”
Lomanto agrees having peer counselors is a good idea.
“Any club that promotes the going to college attitude and supports the students’ efforts will make an impact,” she said. “Students helping students is a powerful connection that can help students attain their goals,” she said. “And any club that promotes the going to college attitude and supports the students’ efforts will make an impact. I believe it is important to help our students determine what their post secondary goals will be and then support their efforts. I want students to consider college so they do not limit their choices once they leave SBHS.”
By the numbers:
572 – number of seniors in San Benito High School’s Class of 2008
30% – seniors who enrolled in a four-year college or university
51% – seniors who enrolled in a two-year/junior college
4% – seniors who enrolled in a trade school
2% – seniors who enlisted in the military
2% – seniors who entered work force upon graduation
11% – seniors undecided about their future at time of graduation
