SANTA ANA : At-Risk Program Saved for Students

When they were reeling from state budget cuts earlier this year, Rancho Santiago College officials reluctantly ended the successful “Career Beginnings” program that attempted to steer at-risk students into rewarding careers.

But now, officials with the Santa Ana Unified School District and a community service group have decided to step in to keep the program running on a slightly smaller scale.

Because of Career Beginnings’ success, “the program could not be denied, it had to carry on,” said Marylin Morimoto, president of Soroptimist International of Santa Ana-Tustin.

Morimoto said that since the program began in 1986, several hundred high school students have been matched with mentors from the working world.

The mentors involve students in activities intended to help them graduate, find a good entry-level job or gain access to a college education.

As a result, 70% of participants have graduated from high school and of those, 90% have sought further education, officials said. Morimoto stressed that the students succeed because “somebody believes in them. These are all high-risk kids.”

In tandem with Soroptimist International, which has provided a $20,000 matching grant, the school district will run the $40,000-a-year Career Beginnings program starting in September.

The district is still seeking $15,000 to pay for the program’s first year, said Jerry Arriola, assistant director for Regional Occupational Program and vocational education.

The program will begin with about 80 seniors chosen from area high schools. The students will be selected from the district’s existing business education programs, Arriola said.

Francisca Mejia, 24, completed Career Beginnings and graduated from Valley High School in 1989. She said the program gave her the incentive she needed to seek a college degree.

“I didn’t have any motivation,” said Mejia, an administrative accountant for a savings and loan company. “If it wasn’t for my mentor--she was always encouraging me to stay in school and study--I don’t know if I’d be here right now.”

Mejia added: “I’m glad I had someone there for me.”

For more information or to volunteer as a mentor or guest speaker, call (714) 566-8421.