In 2015, kindergartners at schools on Los Angeles’ Eastside received certificates welcoming them as members of the class of 2027 and encouraging them to envision a future in college. On Oct. 19, Cal State LA, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and East Los Angeles College celebrated those students’ progress toward that goal.
The Great Outcomes East Los Angeles (GO East LA) Kinder to College Culmination at Garfield High School honored 720 high school seniors who have completed the A-G course requirements needed to apply to California’s public universities. Of those students, more than 200 attended the special pre-graduation ceremony, which also recognized the families, educators, and community partners who supported them.
“We are proud to support these students as they pursue their aspirations and prepare to shape the future for their families and the communities of Los Angeles,” said Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes. “Together with Los Angeles Unified and East Los Angeles College, we are expanding pathways to an education that transforms lives.”
During the program’s “Sharing the Commitment of Great Outcomes” segment, speakers included Gabriel Duran, interim principal of Garfield High School; Lourdes Ramirez Ortiz, LAUSD Region East superintendent and Cal State LA alumna; Rocío Rivas, LAUSD Board of Education member representing District 2; Monte E. Perez, president of East Los Angeles College and Cal State LA alumnus; and Patrick Day, vice president for student affairs and engagement at Cal State LA.
Day encouraged the students to see college as preparation for leadership and making a difference in their communities.
“We produce leaders. We produce impact in this great city, and we invite you to continue to be a part of that legacy,” Day told the students. “The reason that legacy is so powerful is because of you. It’s because of families like yours. It is because of this neighborhood.”
The celebration also featured a welcome from Garfield High School student representative Grace Urrea, remarks from student speakers Emmanuel Gonsalez and Angelina Quintero, and a video message from LAUSD kindergartners. Garfield High School’s marching band welcomed attendees, and a student mariachi performance closed the ceremony.
Following the ceremony, students and guests posed for photos with school mascots outside the auditorium. Cal State LA’s Admissions team was also on hand to answer questions and share information about applying to the university.
The milestone reflects more than a decade of collaboration through GO East LA. Launched by the three institutions in 2013, the initiative builds a college-going culture and helps students prepare for higher education beginning at an early age.
GO East LA connects students and families in East Los Angeles with information about college opportunities and admission requirements. With their A-G requirements completed, the honored seniors are preparing for high school graduation in 2027 and the next step in their education.
“When these students here today received their certificates in kindergarten, we wanted them and their families to know that college was within reach,” said Bianca Guzman, executive director of Pathways Programs at Cal State LA. “Seeing them reach this milestone speaks to their determination and the years of encouragement from their families, teachers, and counselors.”
The partnership’s reach has also grown. By 2017, the Great Outcomes model had expanded through three additional partnerships serving LAUSD schools in the southeast, central, and southern regions of Los Angeles. Los Angeles City College and Los Angeles Trade-Technical College also joined the broader effort.
The Oct. 19 celebration marked both the seniors’ academic accomplishments and the sustained commitment of the schools, families, and the institutions helping them turn early college aspirations into opportunities.
