The Cupertino Courier

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Kindergarteners can get a boost at DeAnza

ByHUGH BIGGAR

For these knights of the roundtable, the holy grail is college education.

In full academic regalia, members of the Silicon Valley Higher Education Roundtable, including Cupertino's De Anza College, handed out special certificates to 160 kindergarten students at two schools June 14.

The certificates guarantee the students admissions to one of the Higher Education Roundtable schools, provided the students meet academic requirements. In addition to De Anza and Foothill College, member schools include those in the West Valley-Mission Community College District and San Jose State University and UC-Santa Cruz.

"The idea is to enhance the college-going culture, particularly among historically under-represented student populations," said Marisa Spatafore, spokeswoman for Foothill-De Anza College District. "This is a way to get the parents and students thinking early about what they need to do to prepare academically."

As a part of that goal, kindergarten students at the two schools in the program, Gault Elementary School in Santa Cruz and Anne Darling Elementary School in San Jose, will be tracked and supported as they progress.

Such support has already started.

This year, kindergarten students had career days with visits by those in professions that require college education such as nursing, dental technology (highlighted by a large model tooth and toothbrush) and construction management.

In addition, there were question-and-answer sessions held with parents in both Spanish and English.

Future projects to support the students and parents in their college quest are in development, Spatafore said, including possible tutoring by De Anza students.

"We hope to expand the program to other [elementary] schools, too," she said, "and serve a broadly diverse student body to make sure they take the classes they need for college."