Immediate and conditional admission will be offered to high school seniors who are on track to meet college preparatory courses before they have even started their application process.

The pilot, launched in partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education and the CSU, expects to admit 12,000 to 10 different CSU campuses by way of a brochure that has been mailed to their homes.

Then, students must use CaliforniaColleges.edu to select their preferred CSU campus and acceptance letters will be sent directly by the universities.

“We want students to know that the door to college opportunity is open to them, and to help relieve some of the stress and uncertainty about applying for college,” said April Grommo, the university system’s vice chancellor of enrollment. “Riverside County is an excellent location for this first-ever program for the CSU, as it is ethnically and economically representative of the diversity of California, and many of the students the CSU is so proud to serve.”

Here are the campuses available for the pilot:

• San Bernardino
• Channel Islands
• Chico
• East Bay
• Humboldt
• Maritime Academy
• Monterey Bay
• San Francisco
• San Marcos
• Sonoma.

When students receive admittance, they must continue to meet A-G requirements to graduate high school. Once the official acceptance letter is granted by their university of choice, students should confirm their intent to enroll by the given campus deadline.

Here’s how students can apply for financial aid: Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) no later than the deadline, which has always been March 2. But, the sooner the better.

“As one of the fastest growing regions in California, the need for college-educated professionals will continue to soar, and this partnership will remove barriers to higher education, welcoming more college-ready students to the CSU system through this innovative direct admission program,” said Edwin Gomez, Riverside County superintendent of schools.

The post Eligible RivCo High Schoolers To Be Offered Direct Admission To CSU appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Local program founder and Student of the Month Committee member Karena Zermeno, who also represents one of the sponsors Altura Credit Union, emceed the event. Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past and/or current challenges and future goals with a room full of supporters that included principals, teachers, peers and family members, as well as community and school district dignitaries.

October’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District are Brooklynn Batlle, Maximus Pimentel, Shonclee Rene and Cyclaly Hernandez Villa. San Jacinto Unified’s honorees for October are Stephanie Alcala, Kristi Chadha and Calvin Maxwell.

Hemet Unified School District

Brooklynn Batlle

Hemet High School singled out Brooklynn this month and teacher James Walsh coached her in Mock Trial where he said she was “instantly amazing.” He also coached her in tennis where she excelled. Brooklynn said, “From a very young age, I always wanted to prove I was worthy at the opportunity of life.” Being born to a teenaged mother led to her becoming a second parent to her siblings and having to grow up too fast. “As a young woman, I admire my mother’s will to do everything on her own but as a daughter, I had so much resentment towards here,” Brooklynn said. “By age 8, I was insecure in myself and always anxious.” Her mother’s new boyfriend led to Brooklynn being a secondhand victim to domestic violence and to her mother becoming a drug addict. The family became homeless, and Brooklynn lived in and out of motels most of her young life. Eventually she went to live with her grandmother but in 2018, she and her brother were able to go back to her mother, who had given birth to another daughter. Brooklynn could not escape her feelings of helplessness as anxiety and stress continued to consume her. “I thought I was broken as a person,” she said. In her junior year, she overfilled her plate to look better to others and in March of this year, she attempted suicide as a cry for help. So far in her senior year, she holds a 4.6 GPA, is president of AVID and plays varsity tennis, along with being involved with many community service clubs. Brooklynn plans to attend Cal Poly for her bachelor’s degree in animal science and then attend veterinarian school at UC, Davis. “There is something so special about helping a being that can’t help themselves and gaining that trust,” Brooklynn said.

Maximus “Ace” Pimentel

West Valley High School Principal Gerardo Zavala said Maximus has played football all four years, serving as captain for the past two and has led the team with his competitive spirit as both a linebacker and running back. “He often says that the best part of football has been the friendships and bonds he’s found with his teammates,” Zavala said. “Off the field, Maximus excels academically with math being his favorite subject. He’s also a dedicated member of our Folklorico group, following in the footsteps of his aunts who danced at the college level.” Maximus is also involved with LINK Crew and has been on the track, wrestling and stunt cheer teams. “Four years ago, during the pandemic, my family decided to leave L.A. for a quieter and less crowded place,” Maximus said. “I felt a mix of confusion and apprehension, realized that this move would be a significant life event with a major impact on me.” He said it wasn’t easy leaving everything behind and transitioning to a new school after being in the same school district from preschool through eighth grade, surrounded by friends, familiar teachers and the support of the community. Maximus tried to find his social footing by joining clubs, sports and extracurricular activities. “It is important for me to promote cultural awareness and to show that it’s okay to engage in activities that are often stereotyped as gender specific,” he said. “I proudly joined West Valley Folklorico as the first male dancer in a class of 18 girls. Since then, other boys have followed suit. Don’t limit yourself; seek out opportunities to be selfless.” Maximum plans to major in engineering at college and said the most important lesson he’s learned is to treat his grades like a paycheck, knowing that hard work is essential for a bright future.

Shonclee Rene

Alessandro High School Principal Matthew Centofranchi introduced Shonclee as a member of the Newcomer Academy at the continuation high school that is designed for students who are deficient in credits and new to this country. “Since coming to the school, she has been a superstar,” he said. “Everybody that has gotten to know Shonclee sees her as an inspiration. She embodies characteristics that we strive to see in our students, in ourselves, in our own children. She is resilient, she is dependable, dedicated, positive and an absolutely wonderful student to be around.” Teacher Javier Zamora said that after 25 years as a teacher, he had to redo everything he thought he knew about teaching to match the needs of the students in the Newcomer program that began last school year. Shonclee speaks four languages and is enrolled in Alessandro’s First Responder CTE pathway. She is on track to graduate this month and plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College before transferring to a four-year university to pursue a career in the medical field. She said many people die every day in her home country because crime is so rampant on the streets. When she turned 18, her parents stayed behind but sent Shonclee to America. “I hope and pray God will protect them every day,” she said. “I know how lucky I am to be able to come here so I can have a better life.”

Cyclaly Hernandez Villa

Hamilton High School selected Cyclaly as their Student of the Month for October. Nominating teacher Mary Kleinvachter taught Cyclaly in her World History class as a sophomore and this year in AP Government and Politics. “When she first entered high school, she got a diagnosis that would change the course of what she would do in high school,” Kleinvachter said. “She’s taken that energy and turned it into positivity and exceling in academics.” Cyclaly said, “I believe my greatest contribution to my community is volunteering as part of NHS (National Honor Society) with blood drives and veterans’ outreach.” She plans to become a math teacher and wants to return to Anza after college to also continue her volunteer work. Cyclaly was diagnosed with limb girdle muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic disease that causes muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass. While it was difficult to learn this, she said it answered the questions she had long had about why she couldn’t do some of the things her peers could do. “I’ve had to change my dreams because of my disability,” Cyclaly said. She loved the sport of basketball and had hoped to play in high school but couldn’t as her condition worsened. “I’ve had to face looks and comments from peers and strangers,” she said, adding that others should surround themselves with people that will support them in their life and impact it positively.

San Jacinto Unified School District

Stephanie Alcala

San Jacinto High School math teacher and baseball coach Merlin Torres said he met Stephanie in her sophomore year when she started doing stats for the team at the urging of a friend and classmate. “She is one of 1,200 students I’ve had since I started teaching and I will never forget her kindness,” Torres said. Stephanie was born in Texas and moved to California when she was four. While living in Orange County, she suffered a lot of abuse and sexual harassment. She began therapy at the age of six and lived in a one-bedroom apartment with her two sisters and parents. After struggling for a few years, they moved to San Jacinto where they found better opportunities for housing and schooling. “This changed me in good and bad ways,” Stephanie said. “I was labeled a bad kid because I couldn’t sit still. It’s safe to say we all understand pain and challenges of life but the way we work through those challenges is what makes us who we are. What we have endured and what we continue to endure is what pushes us to never want to stop to reach our successes. Every student here today can understand that being a student in these times is genuinely hard. I have always been told that I wasn’t smart, and I felt that way for a long time. People may come and go but God never leaves and never fails. I am here because of him but also because of my math teacher, Mr. Merlin Torres and my English teacher Mr. (Stiven) Castillo; they really helped me up again and pushed me to want something better for my future.” Stephanie plans to earn her college degree before starting California Highway Patrol training.

Kristi Chadha

San Jacinto Leadership Academy is new to the SOM program as this is the first year it has had a senior class, making the selection of Kristi extra special. Interim Principal Vince Record said staff cites Kristi as an inspiration to others at the rigorous school. Nominating teacher Matt Corum said, “As teachers, we only get to see a little slice of our students’ lives” but added that when seniors begin to write more about themselves for college essays, teachers learn more about them. When he read through Kristi’s essays, he learned that when she saw one of her friends struggling with food insecurity, she decided to do something about it and started a nonprofit to combat the problem. “I saw that as an incredible feat of selflessness and that’s why I nominated Kristi to be our school’s first ever Student of the Month,” Corum said. Kristi said when she learned that a large percentage of residents in the San Jacinto Valley are either low income or unhoused, she felt called to help in the best way that she could. “Helping others is something I always felt passionate about and that passion led me to create Supplies for Humanity, a nonprofit focused on addressing food insecurity in this community,” she said. “With a dedicated team of student volunteers from schools across the San Jacinto Valley, we’ve been able to help the needs of our own neighbors and in turn strengthen the bonds within our community.” Kristi is the founder and president of her campus’ Diversity Club to provide spaces for open dialogue and understanding between students of different backgrounds. She also founded the Guiding Lines mentoring program, which pairs older students with younger ones to offer guidance and support to navigate school. She has a passion for medicine and hopes to attend UCLA to major in biology and eventually practice pediatric medicine. “I want to be the kind of doctor who helps children feel seen and understood and cared for during their most vulnerable moments,” Kristi said.

Calvin Maxwell

Mountain View High School’s honoree for October is Calvin, who principal Ken Swanson described as the little engine who could. “He keeps chugging along and will get to the top of that hill,” he said. Teacher Trish Ochoa noted how Calvin made a powerful choice to transform his situation. “He’s put in the effort, showing that with dedication, hard work and the right mindset, it’s never too late to get back on track,” she said. Calvin said being at Mountain View helped him a lot. “It was rough growing up,” he said. “I had a single mom, and she worked her butt off to get us help in every way possible and I love her for that. My older sister died and that put a hole in us, and it was hard to get over that.” Because of rising housing costs, the family moved around a lot and Calvin and his siblings had to attend different schools. Once they got back on their feet, COVID hit, and he found online learning to be very difficult. “During my junior year, I was told how far behind I was, and it made me give up on myself but then Mountain View helped me,” Calvin said. He plans to major in computer science in college. “Never stop believing in yourself,” he said.

For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.

The post San Jacinto Valley students honored in October appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Local program founder and Student of the Month Committee member Karena Zermeno, who also represents one of the sponsors Altura Credit Union, emceed the event. She noted that along with new faces for this year’s honorees, there have been some important personnel changes as well. San Jacinto High School welcomed new principal Lloyd Sheppard and San Jacinto Leadership Academy has grown to include its first senior class and will be included in the rotation of alternative schools. Another change is the addition of Diamond Sponsors for those that want to provide even more support to the community-based program than what was expected at the Platinum Sponsors level.

“Students, the reason we are here is for you; just know that you are our motivation,” Zermeno said. “Every month, I leave this event humbled and I feel encouraged to go out and face the world and overcome any challenge after hearing your stories.”

Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past and/or current challenges and future goals with a room full of supporters that included principals, teachers, peers and family members, as well as community and school district dignitaries.

September’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District are Trevor Comstock, Sadie Dinnyes, Bellynn Kincaid, Alexis Rackley and Ravin Vandergriff. San Jacinto Unified’s honorees for September are Angel Iglesias and Jazzlyn “Jazzy” Mancinas.

Hemet Unified School District

Trevor Comstock

Tahquitz High School singled out Trevor this month because of his strong academics, his leadership roles as part of ASB where he builds school culture, and his athletic talents as a member of the water polo team. His teacher Lee Jones said, “He goes out of his way to be supportive and has a quick wit and hardworking personality.” Trevor believes his greatest contribution to his community and family is to be able to bring laughter and joy to everyone around him as well as always trying to lighten up the mood when given the opportunity. In elementary school he lost his father to melanoma skin cancer which resulted in him having to be vigilant about his own predisposition to the disease for the rest of his life. In June of 2023, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. “A mix of confusion and sadness hit me,” Trevor said. This past summer, his mother completed her chemotherapy treatments. “She taught me to cherish every single moment with family and friends and to not take anything for granted,” he said. His plans are to enlist in the Coast Guard after graduation and then start a Burger Shack with his family. He currently works at Hangar One restaurant at Hemet-Ryan Airport. A quote from Benjamin Franklin that Trevor likes to think about often is, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what can be done today.”

Sadie Dinnyes

Hamilton High School counselor Jason Sonnier introduced Sadie on behalf of Athletic Director Patrick Williams, who nominated her and said she has excelled in track and cross country and has found academic success through her CTE nursing pathway. Sonnier said he has been in education for 23 years and counseling for 19 and seeing the amazing transformation she has made in the past couple of years totally fills his heart and makes him so proud of her. Sadie said, “The year 2022 was the hardest year of my life. I started out as a straight A student, doing academically well. Despite that, I still went home and cut on myself every day. At the same time, my mom had terminal cancer. On April 10, I decided to jump off a bridge, partly due to my mental issues and also because I couldn’t stand the thought of having to say goodbye to my mom one day.” When her mother was placed on hospice, Sadie was released early from the hospital but continued to spiral and was placed in foster care temporarily. “Watching my mom lose her life and dealing with my own struggles has given me the motivation to become a hospice and psychiatric nurse and to give people the help and comfort they need during the times they are struggling,” Sadie said. “I wish to show people it’s okay to accept your past and to come to terms with the bad experiences.”

Bellynn Kincaid

Western Center Academy teacher Melanie Thornburg introduced Bellynn by saying, “Her strength is unwavering. She has faced losses that no child should have to endure, and her resilience and positivity are a great inspiration to everyone at WCA.” Bellynn is part of the ASB Leadership Academy program and has volunteered with the Ramona Pageant, as her father had done in the past. She plans to attend MSJC for their audiovisual technology courses and then intern under her father who is an independent contractor in the field to one day become a video engineer. Her parents divorced when she was young but then reconciled. When Bellynn was 11, her mother was expecting another daughter but when she was eight months pregnant, she and the unborn baby were killed by a drunk driver. This caused Bellynn to sink into a great depression, especially with the pandemic following on its heels. “One lesson that can be taken away from my mother’s passing is knowing that rock bottom isn’t the end of the world and life will keep going,” she said. “Hard things happen, but that doesn’t mean your life is over. You learn how to build up from the rock bottom again.” She wants to give back to her community by being an example of light at the end of the tunnel. “Life has a lot to offer and it’s okay to be set back but it’s important to get back up and find the good in life, all with a smile,” Bellynn said. Her father, Zach Kincaid, said, “If it wasn’t for this kid, I wouldn’t be here today. She was dealt a card no one should be given, and she played it well. She saved my life many times, she only knows how to work hard and give. She is the greatest accomplishment of my life.”

Alexis Rackley

Hemet High School Principal Jeff Franks introduced Alexis by saying, “Her grit, her determination, her perseverance is unmatched and says her focus is to just be better every day.” Alexis said she is an older sister and a teammate first with plans to attend the University of Chicago for their social work program. After earning a master’s degree she wants to continue her research on the foster care system and its effect on teens. “I was put into the foster care system at 11 and I was, and still kind of am, terrified,” she said. “I truly believed my life was over and that I had nothing going for me. The instability associated with foster scare is as apparent as ever. Being placed with a new home, having to learn the traditions and mannerisms to better fit in is really hard.” She plans to go into the field of those who have helped her throughout her life. “I want to be the person who helps a child see the full potential in themselves,” Alexis said. “I want to use the chance I’ve been given to help the next generation.”

Ravin Vandergriff

Academy of Innovation is an independent study school who chose Ravin this month. Principal John Bradshaw said Ravin embraces every aspect of the school, taking every advantage of the program by always volunteering to take part in things. Ravin said she started the school year suffering from “senioritis,” but a comment made to students from a counselor gave her a wake-up call. “She said, ‘after high school, that’s it, you’re going to be an adult in the real world’ and to be honest with you, it scared me,” Ravin said. She reflected on the struggling student she had been and the little girl who had been too shy to talk to people but did it because she wanted friends. She said, “I’m still a struggling student but the fact that I recognize that is one small step that makes me motivated to make my future successful.” Ravin aspires to attend Northern Arizona University to study music and English. Her mother said, “From that little wallflower came this beautiful rose – she has grown so much.”

San Jacinto Unified School District

Angel Iglecias

Mountain View High School’s honoree for September is Angel, who is described by Principal Ken Swanson as “polite, respectful, kind, good to others, looks out for others and is a delight to have on campus.” Angel said growing up was a little rough. “I lost my oldest brother Daniel in 2012; he was someone that I looked up to and it hurt my family a lot,” Angel said. In his junior year he knew he had to change his life around and enrolled at Mountain View with only 25 credits to his name. He said being at the school helped him work hard and he now has more than enough credits and will be finishing high school early. He plans to attend C V Beauty College in Hemet to get his barbering license with hopes of opening his own shop one day. After losing his grandmother in February, Angel said he wants to be successful for her as she was a strong influence in his life.

Jazzlyn “Jazzy” Mancinas

San Jacinto High School Principal Lloyd Sheppard read an acceptance speech from Jazzy, who was unable to attend the ceremony due to a prior commitment to attend a Middle College class at MSJC. She is working on her associate’s degree through this dual enrollment program and is currently in the top 20 of her senior class. Jazzy lost her mother when she was three years old and was raised by her father, who is her biggest fan. She believes her biggest contributions to her school, community and family are her perseverance and artistic qualities. In college, she plans to pursue a major in English with a minor in performing arts. “My dream since I was in elementary school was to be an actress, a singer and an author,” she said, adding that she has already been in many theatrical musical productions and has written her own short stories. “It has never been easy to be the student I am today. I have ADHD so I struggled on concentrating and keeping my mind clear,” she said. Years of searching for the right therapies and treatments followed her diagnosis at age 10. “A life lesson that I will take with me to college is that it’s okay to ask for help, it’s okay to not know where I’m going in the next few years because life is going to throw you curveballs,” Jazzy said. “It’s not okay to stay silent when you need help because in the end you are keeping yourself from being the best version of yourself.”

For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.

See also:

Mt. San Jacinto College Kicks Off Record-Breaking 2024-25 Academic Year with Excitement and Innovation

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