Her volunteer work at First Graduate guides students to be the first college graduates in their families. In her two years there, she has been a mock interviewer for students applying to private high schools and a college application essay coach.
Kara Chen is a San Francisco resident who dedicated herself early in life to the pursuit of an education and a bright future. Motivated and hard working, she strove to make her immigrant parents proud by seizing every opportunity for a higher education. Kara attended Marina Middle School and Washington High School (both in SFUSD).
Volunteering for First Graduate has given me an avenue to impart my passion for writing and storytelling to today’s youth.
Once again, as people are espousing racism and hateful behavior towards members of our community, we at First Graduate cannot be silent.
Ivan was part of the First Graduate cohort six. He recalls his time at FG as community-driven and remains forever grateful for the support and encouragement the program provided. It introduced him to role models and mentors, whose emotional backing and positive reinforcements were inspiring and crucial to his success.
“I vividly remember when Anthony, who is a former FG employee, came to my math class and presented the word ‘college,’ and I was sold,” he says. Cesar’s family had emigrated from Latin America when he was a child, and whatever hurdles had existed in achieving a higher education dissipated on that day in class. FG would counsel him in the ensuing years on both financial and academic matters, bolstering him to fulfill his greatest potential as a student. Of the 23 colleges he applied to, he was accepted by 18.
In making a statement on behalf of First Graduate, let me be clear—the murder of George Floyd, like that of so many unarmed black people before him—was wrong. Black lives matter. Our work is centered on education access and success for all because we believe that it is the gateway to equity, inclusion, leadership, and
What a time this is! We hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and stay that way. Because of you and your support, we continue to coach our students, virtually, of course. Some students do not have access to WiFi at home and do not have computers. You have made it possible for
Our students, their health and well-being are our priority. We are monitoring the reports related to COVID-19 and will be guided by the recommendations of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). For now, we continue our work coaching students towards college access and success.
In remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and what he stood for, please join us in reading his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail“ 16 April 1963 “My Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities “unwise and untimely.” Seldom do I
