College Promise Program Marks Third Anniversary

Long Beach - This week marks the three-year anniversary of a successful program in Long Beach schools. The privately-funded College Promise program is an innovative way to help kids go to college.

Gigi Graciette has the story in the video report.

Story Script:

LOURDES ZAVALA COULDN'T BE ANY PROUDER AS HER ONLY SON FRANCISCO RECEIVES HIS FIRST COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP... AND HE'S ONLY THIRTEEN!

FRANCISCO NAVARRETE/STUDENT
"I TOLD MY MOM. I'LL TRY ENGINEERING. LIKE BUILDING HOUSES"

THE EIGHTH GRADER PART OF THE LONG BEACH COLLEGE PROMISE... CELEBRATING ITS THIRD YEAR OF HELPING KIDS GET TO COLLEGE.

F. KING ALEXANDER/PRES, CA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
"THIS IS INDEED A COMMITTMENT ON THE PART OF LONG BEACH TO MAKING SURE THAT EACH AND EVERYONE OF OUR STUDENTS HAS THE SAME EXPECTATION THAT THEY NEED TO GO TO COLLEGE AND FINISH IT."

LONG BEACH COLLEGE PROMISE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY, WORKING TO CREATE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION FROM GRADE SCHOOL TO COLLEGE.

F. KING ALEXANDER/PRES, CA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
"THIS STARTS IN THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE AND WE HAVE STUDENTS ON OUR CAMPUS SIGNING COLLEGE PROMISES. WE HAVE THEIR PARENTS SIGNING COLLEGE PROMISES AS PART OF THE SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS."

ELOY OAKLEY/PRES, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE
"THIS IS A COMMITTMENT ON THE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, WITH OR WITHOUT SACRAMENTO, WITH OR WITHOUT WASHINGTON DC. IT WOULD JUST MAKE OUR PROGRAM MUCH BETTER AND WE COULD REACH OUT TO MANY MORE STUDENTS IF WE GOT A LITTLE HELP FROM SACRAMENTO AND A LITTLE HELP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT"

THE INNOVATIVE PROGRAM IS GETTING NATIONAL ATTENTION...

CHARIS ANDERSON, A WRITER FROM NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, WAS HERE TO REPORT ON ITS SUCCESS.

CHARIS ANDERSON/WRITER, NEW BEDFORD, MA
"LONG BEACH AS A DISTRICT SEEMS TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS PARTICULARLY WELL."

FOR LOURDES, THE IDEA OF HER SON GOING TO COLLEGE HAS GONE FROM BEING A DISTANT DREAM TO A REAL PLAN.

"YOU CAN DO IT FRANCISCO," SHE TELLS HER SON EVERY DAY IN SPANISH.

IT'S A MESSAGE SHE WISHES SOMEONE HAD GIVEN HER IN MEXICO, WHERE SHE DREAMT OF BEING A NURSE BUT NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO COLLEGE.

"PERO YO QUIERO QUE MI HIJO SI VAYA"

"I DIDN'T GO," SHE CRIES. "BUT I WANT MY SON TO GO."