When you hear people talk about "giving back," it's often after finishing college or settling into a career. But for College Track Oakland graduate Tevah El Emmet, giving back started early – in high school.

Using his knack for hip-hop and spoken-word, Tevah began visiting other Bay Area high schools to perform in front of his peers. One of his songs, "Addicted," was a cautionary narrative about drug abuse and other forms of addiction. Realizing the song resonated with other kids, Tevah's mother suggested that Tevah not only perform the song, but start a dialogue with other students about it.

College Track San Francisco Day Brings students and San Francisco-based companies together


College Track San Francisco student Theresa was skeptical about meeting her mentor for the first time. “I was concerned we wouldn’t connect,” the junior from Thurgood Marshall High School explained, “but I was wrong! My mentor was really outgoing and friendly, and there were no dull moments the entire day.”

Theresa was reflecting on the inaugural College Track San Francisco Day (CTSF Day), which took place on March 2nd at San Francisco’s City Hall. Theresa was paired with Vy Huynh, a Senior Wholesaler for Chase. Vy volunteers regularly through GOOD Works, Chase’s volunteer program. “When I saw this opportunity, I was immediately interested. I’ve mentored before and truly enjoy it,” said Vy. See pictures from the event at facebook.com/NationalCollegeTrack.

“No way can I afford a four-year college education!” Unfortunately, this is a thought that often goes through the minds of high school students when deciding where to apply for college. College Track understands that financial gaps make it difficult for students to get into and graduate from four-year institutions. To address this issue, College Track students, myself included, are encouraged to start saving for college while they are still in high school, are required to apply for scholarships as early as their freshmen year of high school, and can earn money for college by meeting program requirements.

College Track’s sites are not only a place where students receive tutoring and have access to myriad of resources; it is also a place for the community to come together. The Bayview Hunters Point site in San Francisco is no exception. In fact, since the grand opening of the new site on Third Street at Jerrold Avenue, College Track San Francisco has provided valuable meeting space to local organizations and city officials, proving to be an incredible asset to the entire Bayview Hunters Point community.

On Saturday, December 1st, College Track partnered with the San Francisco Giants’ pitcher, Jeremy Affeldt, and other non-profit organizations to pack 130,000 meals for starving children around the globe as part of the athlete’s Something2Eat campaign. The packing party took place at a local school in East Palo Alto, Cesar Chavez Academy, where students and community members spent their day giving to those who need it most.

Ever wonder what the transition from high school to college was like? Now is your chance to find out! Luckily for you, directly from our very own "Investigative Unit," I was able to follow up on Jenesh Dobie, 18 year old, College Track San Francisco Alum, and ask her some questions about her transition. She is currently a first year student at Portland State University (PSU), and like most students has yet to discover what she wants to study, but looks forward to the road ahead.

Jenesh joined College Track her freshmen year and has, "Loved it ever since," she says, "College Track provided me with great advice, but I really appreciate that they provided me with people in all areas that I could get help from if I ever needed any."

By Lia Izenberg, Academic Affairs Director, College Track San Francisco

It takes a lot beyond academic readiness to succeed in college. Tackling challenges like dealing with a difficult roommate, finding the financial aid office and registering for classes requires resiliency and tenacity, and these are two character traits that College Track San Francisco is targeting.

The site is working to make habits of mind and GRIT visible to all students by recognizing positive character traits that are linked to college success. Using the acronym GRIT: Guts, Resilience, Integrity, and Tenacity and an associated rubric, students team up with tutors and mentors to identify areas of strength and areas for growth. The rubric also helps all students see what these habits of mind look like in reality. Students receive "GRIT tickets" - raffle tickets for one of the GRIT qualities - and are acknowledged in Unity Circle as well.

Additionally, the site recognizes a GRIT student of the month to show that persistence and growth are valued. These students are publicly featured at the site. All of these activities are meant to bring GRIT to the forefront and push our students to build positive character traits that will help them be successful in college and in life.

Since piloting GRIT in San Francisco, staff from across sites and departments have formed a group – Habits of Heart and Mind – to better understand these character traits and share best practices in developing these traits in our students.

By Adam Silver, Academic Affairs Director, College Track/Summit 54

Across all College Track sites, there is a need to develop students' math readiness before sending them to college. By 2016, College Track expects at least half of its students to graduate from high school ready to conquer college level math. As we strategically target math readiness, Khan Academy has come to the forefront as a useful tool. College Track students have begun refining their math skills by practicing within Khan Academy’s adaptive assessment environment; they practice in workshops, in tutoring, in Khan Academy labs, in intensive summer programs, and even at home.

From lecture halls to stacks of textbooks to dorm rooms, college life presents an environment by turns exhilarating and intimidating. As East Palo Alto College Track alumus Sergio Gonzalez puts it, "It's a whole different world you're walking into. [That first semester] can be like running into a wall. I remember thinking, 'How am I going to survive this?'"

On June 15, 2012, President Barack Obama and the Department of Homeland Security announced a new policy, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), that allows certain young people who came to the United States at an early age to remain in the country legally for two years and to obtain a work permit. This policy will have a very real impact for College Track students, many of whom are undocumented and eligible for DACA. From aiding students with the necessary paperwork to providing information about the benefits and risks of DACA, College Track is working hard to ensure that our students and their families have access to the DACA program.