College Ready – Pueblo High School

Pueblo Students Blaze ‘Ivy League” Trail Once Again

By Esmeralda Almazan

Six Pueblo High School students were selected to participate in the Southern Arizona Ivy League Project trip, which has become somewhat of a tradition for the past eleven years.

Senior Juan Pablo Gomez, as well as juniors Esmeralda Almazan, Xristian Berry, and Marianna Martinez, left Tucson at the end of the third quarter, at the onset of Spring Break for an eight-day itinerary-packed adventure 3,000 miles from Tucson.

However, the weather was anything but “spring-like”, as students and chaperones endured very cold temperatures on the East Coast. PHS students traveled with four other students from nearby high schools as well as several chaperones, including three parents and Ms. Corina Ontiveros, founder/organizer of the Ivy League Project, also accompanied students.

Day One was perhaps the most exhausting for students: Tucson… to Denver… to Boston- at 5 a.m. on Friday!

Martinez said, “There was no room for us yet at the hotel, so we went on to visit nearby MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] and Harvard University. The architecture back East is so beautiful and historical- completely different from Tucson.”

She added, “We also got to visit Quincy Market in downtown Boston, and that was an awesome cultural experience.”

Finally, at 7 p.m., the students got to their rooms!

Throughout the next six days, students were treated to more than a dozen universities and numerous historical landmarks and memories.

Before leaving Massachusetts, students visited Boston University (the alma mater of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) Almazan said, “There was something magical about Boston University. I felt comfortable in the city, and I’m considering pursuing a Biomedical Engineering degree here.”

Then, students were off to Amherst University, Smith College (an all women’s institution), Tufts University, and 112-year-old Fenway Park-one of the country’s most beloved baseball stadiums (and host of the Boston Red Sox). Students then traveled to Providence, Rhode Island, to tour Brown University.

Berry said, “It doesn’t take long to get through those New England states. We’re [those in Tucson] are used to driving two hours to Phoenix. In the Northeast, you can get to and through three different states at that same time!”

Day Four’s itinerary was packed! From New Hampshire… to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut…There, students got to visit 2012 PHS graduate Bill De La Rosa, who is completing his degree in Law School.

Next on the students’ itinerary was Colombia University in New York City. While in “The Big Apple”, students visited the 9/11 Memorial and Times Square. Still in NYC during the morning and early afternoon hours of Day Five, students took a ferry to Ellis Island and Liberty Island and were awestruck seeing 150-foot Lady Liberty.

Then… onto New Jersey and Princeton University and then to Philadelphia, Penn., often called “the birthplace of America”, as it was the country’s first capitol and where our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.

Day Six was perhaps the students’ busiest day—visiting Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania— before heading to the nation’s capital, Washington, DC, where the students visited Georgetown University and many American war monuments. Also on the agenda were the Washington Monument and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

On their last day, students visited Catholic University in DC and then the U.S. Capitol and Arizona Representative Raul Grijalva’s office. Students met John Green, the New York Times best-selling author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars, and Turtles All the Way Down (which has been turned into a movie and will be released this spring).

The White House was one of the students’ last stops before heading for the airport.

After a week “on the road”, students looked to the sky—as they were jet-propelled back to Tucson…And then to their beds. Dr. Toro has accompanied the Pueblo High School group every year. This year, she decided to take a step back and let Mr. Alvarez and other school faculty attend.

“I am not going to be at Pueblo forever, so it is important for other faculty members to experience its value and want to continue it after I leave,” Toro said. “Sustainability and legacy are vital keys.”

Berry said, “This trip was inspirational, for sure, and I am already considering applying to Yale University. I loved the school’s architecture and spirit. That campus is like its own little city.”

Martinez said, “I loved Colombia, Brown, and Yale, and I’d love to pursue my goal of becoming a speech pathologist at one of those colleges.”

Almazan added, “Don’t let anyone influence you about a school. Keep an open mind regarding your choices. If you feel comfortable there, then you’ll feel more at home.”

As May arrives, students with a 3.75+ GPA will be invited to apply to the Arizona Southwest Leadership Initiative and then interviewed in June.

‘TRIO-EST’: Another Tool for Academic Success

by Alyvette Moreno & Jenna Twaje

TRIO Educational Search, or “EST” for short, is one of the many programs here at Pueblo High School dedicated to supporting students and helping them succeed in their education.

While the commitment is lower than Upward Bound where students meet three times a week, TRIO-EST still offers students many opportunities such as workshops, tutoring, campus tours and more. Instead, students in EST are required to meet two times during the school year, although members can meet whenever they work.

Currently, students are not required to have a specific GPA to join ETS. The only requirement to join is to be a U.S citizen or U.S resident. Students can join at any grade, but students cannot be in both ETS and Upward Bound simultaneously.

“Our main goal is for every student to graduate knowing what they want to do after high school,” said Ms. Grissel Bojorquez, the coordinator of TRIO-EST.

She decided to become the coordinator of the program because she felt a need to people just like her.

Paola Salazar, a senior, said, “It’s been helpful having a mentor whenever I need it.”

Since learning about TRIO in her freshman year Salazar got all sorts of help such as having her college essays proofread and reviewed—as well as financial aid and help with her applications.

Having been in ETS since his sophomore year, Nae Alba, a junior, hopes that this experience will help him get into his dream university. Finding out about ETS from his older sister gave Alba the opportunity to get help with FASFA, college applications, and tutoring.

TRIO-ETS is a resource many students use to help in their pursuit of higher education. The support given to students by TRIO-ETS empowers them and helps them achieve their full potential.

“It is a very helpful program that provides resources to help me in my college journey with FASFA and college applications,” said Alba.

New Tool For Seniors: ‘FAFSA Night’

By Jonathan Redondo & Emely Villanueva

This year, Dr. Manuel Avila (Pueblo’s College and Career Readiness Coordinator), along with some assistance, is hosting weekly FAFSA and “College Nights”. He hosts workshops every Wednesday after school in the Special Projects room to inform and educate seniors about scholarships opportunities and to help them create an “FSA” identification in order to fill out the requirements for FAFSA.

There are multiple topics to be covered within these meetings, including the following topics: college and university applications; to learn scholarship programs; scholarships for DACA and undocumented students; upcoming scholarships; and creating an FSA ID account.

Avila said, “Even though some students or parents might not have a social security number or anything of the sort, there are many ways for students to complete something like FAFSA that can help with going to college or university.”

Creating an FSA ID account is a crucial step to filling out FAFSA, which is one of Pueblo’s graduation requirements. The FSA ID account is the account in which you will access the FAFSA application. Starting this year both the parent and student will need one of these accounts.

“Parents’ jobs are much easier this year since FAFSA goes directly through their social security ID to their taxes,” said Avila.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is an application for students to receive aid from the government to fund their college or university. FAFSA rewards students who meet the requirements that demonstrate financial need to attend a college or university.

Avila stated, “My focus is to get all the students that I can, to create an FSA ID to complete FAFSA to help them graduate and find a career in their post-secondary education.”

In past years, FAFSA would open Oct. 1, but now it is opening Dec. 31. The FAFSA application is opening later this year because there have been many changes that the government wants to implement to make FAFSA shorter. FAFSA used to require students to fill out 103 questions but this year they have shortened it, and some applicants can answer as little as 18 questions on this new form.

“This is why FAFSA will go directly into your parents’ taxes instead of you doing it yourself. Because of the later open date and new changes in the system, it will be easier for students and parents,” he added.

This new form also involves the parents more in the application process. To fill out your FAFSA, the student will need to fill out around 45 questions, and then the student must invite their parent to also fill out a separate questionnaire and enter their tax information directly from the IRS.

From then, the parent will have 40 days to complete and submit the application, or the student will have to redo their own application.

Although Avila focuses on the process of FAFSA, these workshops are also if you need help with college or scholarship applications. He added that he is happy to help any student fill out any application for a post-secondary education as it fits with one of his principles of getting 99.99 percent of the senior class to have a post-secondary course.

Avila said, “Students should be checking deadlines for priority and regular decision application to make sure they are getting their application in on time.”

Is The ASVAB Worth Taking?

An Opinion By Emely Villanueva

Earlier this month, Pueblo High School seniors took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test (ASVAB). Some may ask what the ASVAB is and why students are required to take it. The ASVAB, although administered by the military, is a test that measures students’ strengths and weaknesses for potential future success in verbal, math, science, and technical, and spatial domains.

The ASVAB, first introduced in 1968 and adopted by all branches of the military in 1976, is used to rank the best categories for occupational and academic success in the military. This, however, does not mean that students are signing up to be in the military. The ASVAB can help with placing students in the different military branches. Here at Pueblo High School, College and Career Center director Dr. Avila is hoping that the test will help seniors further expand their career exploration. The better students’ ASVAB results are, the broader students’ career options become available.

The ASVAB is currently offered at 14,000 schools and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) nationwide. The test is offered, developed, and maintained by the Defense Department. The ASVAB has two scores. One score determines if students are eligible to join the military; students will need to score 31 to enlist; the second score, “a line score”, determines a student’s job eligibility in 10 different categories. The ASVAB also helps students with their test-taking skills by using critical thinking skills and common test skills of answering every question as they have a 25% chance of getting the answer correct.

The ASVAB helps seniors explore not only career options but also steers them in a direction they didn’t know they could have. Many Pueblo students are often lost after graduating high school. They feel lost in the sense that they feel a college or university is not an option for them. The ASVAB, however, opens new options for them as now they feel a new path has opened. Joining the military can give students a sense of belonging and accomplishing a goal for themselves and their country after completing high school.

Although, many students find it “stupid” or “useless” to take the ASVAB, requiring seniors to take the test should not make them feel that it is a punishment. Instead, students should keep an open mind about ASVAB because it offers students another opportunity for test taking skills. It opens opportunities to students considering the military and preparing these students for this path with their ASVAB results. Pueblo wants to open newer opportunities to students in career opportunities and military options.

In fact, many countries require their students to serve from one to four years, and they all require some version of a military test to place them in the corresponding branch of government. Here in the United States, the ASVAB helps students realize their strengths and weaknesses which helps them within their futures. The ASVAB also helps Pueblo’s overall “grade”; currently, Pueblo earned a “B” for the first time in its history, so students should feel the need to take the test as a duty to give back to their community.

If students are interested in taking the ASVAB, and if they missed the original testing date, there will be other opportunities to take the test in the spring. Please support your Pueblo community and yourself by taking the ASVAB. Students should see Mr. Avila or their counselor for more information.

Dr. Avila: Preparing Students For The ‘Real World’

By Ariana Garcia & Leia Ortega

For the past year, Dr. Manuel Avila, Pueblo’s College and Career Readiness Coordinator, helps to ensure that students have the necessary tools to succeed after high school, no matter how grand or how modest their goals.

Coming to the U.S. from Mexico about 20 years ago, Avila decided to become a classroom teacher. After 18 years in the classroom, Avila pursued and completed a degree in law at the James E. Rogers College of Law, graduating in May 2022.

He decided to return to education and to use his training in law to make a difference in students’ lives.

“I always thought that education is the foundation of any society in all aspects,” Avila said.

One of his primary objectives is to help students properly complete their college applications and their financial aid information. He is also instrumental in helping students attend workshops and college and career fairs.

“I encourage and invite all students to visit me if they don’t have plans for their post-high school lives,” Avila said. “I would be glad to help them explore their future careers together.”

He added that students can schedule an appointment to see him on the Pueblo website—on the same page as students would schedule an appointment with their counselors. They can also view scholarships and dates/locations for college and career fairs.

Avila said, “I want to build trust first with students and to let them know that there is, indeed, a College and Career Center at Pueblo—to advocate for themselves in order to help them with successful futures.”

Future Wildcats Honored At Assembly

By Emely Villanueva

On Thursday, Sept. 28, Pueblo High School seniors were treated to an assembly to celebrate their acceptance to the University of Arizona. At that time, 63 Warriors had applied and been accepted.

Among the 63 seniors was Aritza Nuñez, who found out she had been accepted to the U of A earlier in September.

“It’s surreal that I’ll be attending the University of Arizona,” Nuñez said. “I’m glad that I’ll be in good condition when I start my college career next fall as so many of my friends will be with me.”

Students who were accepted to the U of A had an opportunity to see different programs and centers at the U of A. The Guerrero and SALT Center, Financial Aid Office, Housing Office, and the Frank Honors college as well as many other organizations offered information for future Wildcats.

Seniors were also given many “goodies” from their U of A admission counselor, which included a tote bag. Students were also able to receive lanyards and candies. Students were free to snap pictures with different U of A props and their friends and family. This event was orchestrated by College and Career Center coordinator Mr. Manuel Avala-Miranda and the U of A Admissions Office.

Since late September, approximately 30 other Pueblo students have been accepted to the University of Arizona, said Avila-Miranda.

“Another 100 or so seniors have applied to the U of A,” he added, “and we’re working on getting even more students to apply.”

He added, “I feel very proud of students who have decided to apply to Ivy League colleges and universities because I believe all students have the potential to apply to top-tier learning institutions. It makes me feel proud for students to discover their potential and confidence, and those students can represent our community and go on to make a bigger positive impact in our society from earning their college degrees.”

Ms. Victoria Leon, one of the Next Steps advisors at the University of Arizona, said, “We’re all so happy to know that even more students are applying to the University and other colleges. This reflects Pueblo’s College and Career goal of having 99.99 percent of students having a plan for post-secondary educational goals—whether it be at a college or a trade school. We’re here to help students choose the right path.”

Paola Salazar, currently ranked number one in her PHS senior class, found out she was accepted to the University of Arizona in mid-August.

“Even though I’m a senior, it doesn’t seem possible that I’ll be in college in less than a year,” said Salazar.

She added that she is flattered to have been accepted to the University of Arizona but is keeping her collegiate options open, including Ivy League colleges on the East Coast.

“I haven’t signed anything in ink yet,” Salazar said, “but I’ve always loved the U of A.”