Fourth Graders Pledge They're Going To College

Long Beach - A bunch of Long Beach elementary school students have made a pledge to go to college. They did it after a visit to Long Beach City College, which has an innovative program promising each child a chance to go... with the first semester being free.

Story Script:

THEY'RE ONLY IN THE FOURTH GRADE... BUT ALREADY IT'S THEIR FIRST DAY OF COLLEGE.... AND THEY EACH ARRIVED WITH A BACKPACK FULL OF DREAMS.

THE LESSON PLAN DURING THIS TOUR OF LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE... SIMPLE.

BETHANY PARKINS, 4TH GRADER
"IF YOU DON'T GO TO COLLEGE YOU CAN'T MAKE IT TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE IN LIFE."

THE LONG BEACH COLLEGE PROMISE IS A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE CITY COLLEGE AND CAL STATE LONG BEACH IN AN EFFORT TO GET EVERY CHILD HERE TO COLLEGE.

ELOY OAKLEY, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT
"THE PROGRAM STARTS IN FOURTH GRADE. ALL FOURTH GRADERS IN LONG BEACH UNIFIED COME TO LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE AND ALL FIFTH GRADERS GO TO CAL STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH SO THEY GET TO EXPERIENCE BOTH ENDS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION SPECTRUM."

ELOY OAKLEY, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT
"I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT WHEN I WAS IN THE FOURTH GRADE NOBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT COLLEGE. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE AND WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE. WE CAN'T ASSUME THAT'S SOMEBODY IS TALKING TO THESE KIDS ABOUT HOW TO NAVIGATE COLLEGE. WE NEED TO CREATE THAT EXPECTATION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE."

THE PROMISE INCLUDES THAT EVERY LONG BEACH UNIFIED STUDENT'S FIRST SEMESTER AT LBCC WILL BE FREE, FUNDED BY THE NON-PROFIT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION.

ELOY OAKLEY, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT
"AS LONG AS THEY COME TO US STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, RIGHT AFTER THEY GRADUATE AND ENROLL IN THE FALL SEMESTER BEGINNING THIS FALL WE WILL GUARANTEE THEM THAT FIRST SEMESTER TUITION FREE."