THE COMMUNITY VOICE A Quarterly Newsletter by Community Services Employment Training
December 2023
Dear CSET Community, As we reflect on the extraordinary achievements of 2023, it has been a year filled with new initiatives, collaboration, and generosity. Exciting changes are on the horizon for CSET in 2024, including the expansion of our scope of work with the Visalia Navigation Center and the launch of a new branding strategy, commemorating 60 years of community impact in the fight against poverty. Our deepest gratitude goes to our incredible partners, dedicated volunteers, committed board members, and hardworking staff. Your unwavering support has been the driving force behind our mission, and without you, the positive change we strive for in our community would not be possible. Please join me in celebrating our remarkable service to our community, as featured in the following stories. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season filled with prosperity, joy, and meaningful connections. Sincerely, Mary Alice Escarsega-Fechner, CSET Executive Director
#LEAD Explores UC Davis Campus The opportunity to participate in a college campus tour is a life-changing experience for many first-generation students, particularly those from the Central Valley, where college enrollment rates remain low. Our #LEAD program breaks down barriers by creating equitable initiatives for young people in Tulare County to access college and post-secondary planning. This fall, 45 high school students from #LEAD took a campus walking tour at the University of California, Davis (Go Aggies!). It was a fun and informative college trip that gave students a glimpse of student life and an overview of the undergraduate experience. Following the campus tour, students visited downtown Davis, where they explored local shops. A special acknowledgment goes out to our #LEAD staff for organizing the college trip and diligently ensuring the active participation of our young individuals in college readiness opportunities. Page 1