Resilience
Barrio Logan College Institute
Barrio Logan
College Institute ( BLCI ) students have returned to in-person after-school programs in Barrio Logan , Chula Vista and El Cajon . After a year of virtual programming , students , parents and staff are committed to accelerate learning and knowledge recovery , and BLCI has expanded programs to support students ’ mental and physical health .
Students of BLCI understand obstacles can be motivators to their success . Working through financial hardships at home and feeling like they are not ‘ good enough ’ for college , are challenges BLCI students face in their education journey . At BLCI , students are welcomed by tutors and mentors who encourage open communication , acceptance and vulnerability . Because of this approach , BLCI students are confident and resilient when faced with obstacles .
Daniel Armendariz exemplifies the resilience of BLCI students . Daniel moved to San Diego from Mexico six years ago . Since then , he has worked tirelessly towards his dream of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon . With the help of his tutors , mentors and family , Daniel was accepted to the University of San Diego . He was also accepted into the University ’ s AnchorSTEM program ,
Daniel Armendariz which connects a select group of undergraduate STEM majors to individualized mentoring , scholarships , opportunities to engage in research and more . Daniel ’ s senior year may not have looked like he imagined it , but he did not let that deter him from pursuing his goals .
The resilience of BLCI students has been apparent during the last year and a half . These students , who face many obstacles under ‘ normal ’ circumstances , were suddenly faced with technology issues , family job losses , and fear of the virus . Students rose to the challenge with the support of BLCI ’ s staff , volunteers , and generous supporters who ensured students had the technology they needed . BLCI is proud to share that 100 % of its graduating class was accepted to college , and its younger students raised their average GPA . BLCI Alumni graduated with Bachelor ’ s degrees and started new jobs , taking the next steps towards achieving their dreams .
With these supports , BLCI is looking forward to another year of breaking the cycle of poverty through education .
82 GBSAN . COM | NOVEMBER 2021