Willamette Academy Annual Report - Academic Year 2020-21

ANNUAL REPORT

2020-21

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

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n April (of this year), uncertain if we were going to hold an in-person graduation, seniors arrived on campus for a photoshoot in their academy blazers.

More than a year had passed since I’d seen them in person, and although we’d stayed in touch virtually, we had much to catch up on. They talked about school, their work and how their families were doing. I felt for this class — their experience had been unconventional in more ways than one.

Admitted to the academy as eighth-graders, this class could only attend the program for four years.

They spent their senior year at home in front of a computer screen and missed their final opportunity to become academy leaders. And if navigating the college application process weren’t difficult enough, a pandemic certainly did not make it any easier. Far more students graduated early from high school than ever before, many rushing to finish their education so they could support their families or get a jump start on their college aspirations.

“By the end (of the program) they had transformed into resilient leaders who rose to meet every challenge.”

— Emilio Solano ’09 Executive Director

The class of 2021 is the first I interviewed, and over the years I’ve witnessed their tremendous growth. At the start of the program, they were quiet, nervous and shy, but by the end they had transformed into resilient leaders who rose to meet every challenge.

As we shot photos that day in April, they told me about their college decisions. Our conversation reminded me of the need for community and networks, whether closer to home or across state lines. Many of our students will attend Chemeketa Community College in Salem next year and pursue financial assistance through Oregon Promise or the Chemeketa Scholars program, part of a larger trend highlighting the importance of community colleges as students seek more flexibility in response to the pandemic.

(From left) Monse Hernandez Escobar and Jazmin Morales Rodriguez have eager Academy alumni mentors at Stanford and at Pomona.

However, two of our seniors — Monse Hernandez Escobar and Jazmin Morales Rodriguez — will soon depart for Stanford University and Pomona College in California, respectively. Both schools are excellent of course, but one thing excited me the most: I could connect them with academy alumni. Simply being able to text Crystal Llanos at Stanford and Samuel Hernandez at Pomona to ask for their support shows the strength and reach of our Willamette Academy community. Now Monse and Jazmin have eager mentors who can’t wait to help ease their transition at colleges far from home.

Our students have successfully completed an exceptionally trying year. As they step into their future, they carry with them a new family of staff, students and alumni who will continue to cheer them on. Without your unwavering commitment to our mission, these connections would not be possible.

With appreciation, Emilio Solano ’09 Executive Director

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Willamette Academy Annual Report 2020-21

Experience at the academy inspires alum to give back

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fter Christian Ochoa experienced one of the greatest tragedies in his life, Willamette Academy provided the academic structure — and family — he needed to preserve his future.

At age 11, his mother died of cancer. Any motivation he’d had for school vanished.

In the months following, staying busy after class meant staying out of trouble. When Ochoa joined an academy after-school program, he connected with mentors who kept him focused on his education and extracurricular activities that became a healthy distraction.

“When you have free time at home, you’re not motivated to do school work and sometimes you’re left to wander,” he said. “Just being at the academy and being able to talk to someone after school was so important — it cleared my head a bit and kept me in a positive environment.”

Although he could rely on his older siblings and dad for support, students in his cohort became “a little family away from home” and he looked forward to academy events, he said. Program-

ming at Willamette University quickly acclimated him to the rhythm of campus life and tutoring transformed his progress in subjects like math, the next assignment always better than the previous.

Ochoa emerged from the academy with improved grades, outstanding application essays and more than 150 hours of volunteer work, all of which impressed colleges. He secured a Ford Family Scholarship for the University of Oregon, where he majored in business, and later added an M.S. degree in management information systems from Western Oregon University in Monmouth. Today he manages a team of software developers as an information systems manager at Morrow Equipment Company in Salem.

His job is an opportunity he didn’t even realize existed when he was in high school. It’s also one he might not have pursued if he hadn’t made it to college.

Now an advisory committee member for the academy, Ochoa is also a donor of the program to ensure other students continue to receive the same support and experiences he did.

“Being at the academy and being able to talk to someone after school was so important — it cleared my head a bit and kept me in a positive environment.”

— Christian Ochoa Academy Graduate, Advisory Committee Member

“You can never be prepared for what life throws at you,” he said. “I want to support the academy in any way I can.”

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HIGHLIGHTS 2021

Ten virtual Saturday sessions engaged students in leadership development, community-building exercises, goal-setting, college and career exploration, high school and college transition, financial literacy, SAT prep and provided general academic support.

Paul Quach ’22, Rachelle Zavalza ’22 and Kaylan Ma ’23 developed a student-led initiative called Willamette Academy Student Outreach (WASO) with the goal of providing opportunities for older students to mentor younger students.

In October, we convened a new Willamette Academy advisory committee of eight members including alumni, a parent and community partners.

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Academy alumni selected as Gates Scholars

99% 94%

Academy students who are students of color

Academy students who report that their experience has improved/strengthened their commitment to learning

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100% 140

Salem-Keizer School District students (grades 8-12) currently enrolled at the Academy

89%

Academy students receiving free or reducedcost school lunches

Willamette Academy Annual Report 2020-21

Academy students who will be first-generation college students

$2,000

Approximate annual cost per student to conduct Academy programming

14

Academy alumni selected as Ford Scholars by the Ford Family Foundation

92% 72%

Academy alumni who’ve either graduated from or are currently enrolled at a two- or four-year college

Academy alumni who matriculate to a two- or four-year college after high school graduation

84%

Students who reported their mentors helped them envision themselves as successful college students

Students had the opportunity to attend 12 virtual college info sessions, including Boston College, Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Pomona College, University of Oregon, Portland State University and Chemeketa Community College.

“College Track” sessions provided academy seniors with workshops on financial aid, college and scholarship applications, matriculation and how to transition into college.

Collaborated with retired faculty member Linda Hesuer to strengthen evaluation processes (such as end of year and summer camp surveys, senior exit interviews). Lauren Bishopp, a senior psychology intern, facilitated a student work group to analyze the data.

We piloted a first-year alumni mentor program in which 2020 graduates received monthly mentorship opportunities with a staff member in order to support their college transition.

In January, we partnered with a bilingual CPA at Doty Pruett Wilson in Salem to provide pro bono tax services for our 11th grade families in preparation for the FAFSA process as seniors.

Students attended over 90 virtual workshops including chemistry club, High School 101, resumes and cover letters, Career Talks, a session with the Oregon Black Pioneers, a school board candidate meet and greet, university thesis presentations and Covid-19 Impact on Latino Health.

Adriana Cavazos ’22 was selected as a Hamilton Scholar and Paul Quach ’22 was selected as a LEDA Scholar. Both students will receive further support in their college application process, college transition and beyond.

Monserrat Hernandez ’21 was awarded the Gates Scholarship, a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding minority high school seniors from low-income households.

Each year, the scholarship is awarded to 300 student leaders with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential.

Eduardo Ojeda-Sierra ’21 and David Bugarin Renteria ’21 were awarded the Ford Family Scholarship, which takes care of 90% of their remaining financial need at any Oregon school.

On May 14, we celebrated 30 graduates, our largest class ever. This fall, nine graduates will attend Willamette University while the rest will head to Stanford University, Pomona College, Chemeketa Community College, Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Portland State University and Western Oregon University.

In May, the academy reviewed over 100 applications, conducted 71 virtual student interviews and welcomed 32 rising eighth-graders to the program.

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Academy reaches new milestone

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onse Hernandez Escobar had a moment high school seniors dream of. Surrounded by her family, she sat in front of a computer on College Decision Day and clicked on the screen. Confetti filled the screen. Everyone started cheering and crying — she was admitted to Stanford University.

“I gained more confidence talking to teachers and formed better relationships with them, which ultimately led to really good recommendation letters. It really helped with the interview process, too,” she said. “I was an introvert before and I became an extrovert, and that’s really the best thing.”

“I’m not really the type to get emotional in front of other people, but I got really emotional then,” she said.

After being selected for the highly competitive Gates Scholarship and admitted to 12 colleges — Escobar was also on the waitlist for Harvard University and Wellesley College in Massachusetts — she ended the year on a bright note.

It was a big moment for the Willamette Academy graduate and part of an even bigger win for the college access program: After one of the most challenging academic years on record, the academy celebrated its largest graduating class yet — 30 seniors.

Historically underrepresented students from the Salem-Keizer School District attend the academy for mentoring, tutoring and other support with the goal of enrolling in college. As the pandemic stretched students thin last year, forcing them to manage online classes while supporting their families, academy leaders recognized a different approach was necessary for student success.

Although students had proven their adaptability to the circumstances — eighth-graders were especially interactive on Zoom and other platforms — the academy continued to support students by purchasing technology supplies for online learning.

It also used grant funding to provide incentives for students to remain connected to mentors, workshops and Saturday sessions, said Executive Director Emilio Solano.

“It’s not going to be easy, but it’s something I’ve prepared for.”

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Willamette Academy Annual Report 2020-21

— Monse Hernandez Escobar 2021 Academy Graduate

“I was certain about college.

Willamette Academy just helped me get there.”

— Eduardo Ojeda-Sierra 2021 Academy Graduate

“We did whatever it took to make sure they were taken care of and their families were taken care of,” he said. “We wanted to cross that finish line and keep students with us. We didn’t give up.”

Applying to college through personal loss and other challenges was hard for many students, and connections with mentors became even more important. Escobar credited her mentor, Andrea Rivas Iraheta ’20, and academy staff with helping her make great strides in her self-confidence and professionalism.

At Stanford, she’s considering a double major in psychology and biology. And though she’ll be far from home, a new friend awaits — Solano has connected her to another academy graduate who is attending the university. Escobar said she is ready for whatever comes next.

“It’s not going to be easy, but it’s something I’ve prepared for,” she said. “I know it’s the right place for me and I’m excited to be part of the community.”

Many academy opportunities prepared Eduardo Ojeda-Sierra for college — his favorites were staying at Willamette University for a week like a real college student and visiting universities in Seattle. But like Escobar, mentorship played a meaningful role in his life, too.

Miya Konishi ’21 helped him write his college essay and apply for scholarships. Now a Ford scholar, Ojeda-Sierra will attend Willamette this fall with plans to major in biology as part of a pre-med track.

Most importantly, Konishi provided the guidance he needed and an open door — and that alone made Sierra feel more prepared for college, he said.

“When you’re talking to someone who’s trying to help you, and they’re in the place where you want to be, it can lead you to the future you want,” he said. “I was certain about college. Willamette Academy just helped me get there.”

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CLASS OF 2021

Our mission is to educate, inspire and empower students from historically underrepresented communities who have the desire to advance to and achieve higher education.

To learn how you can support our mission, visit willamette.edu/community/academy.

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