Four colleges in four days – PCS students tour campuses
By Rachel Goings
A group of high school students from Plumas Charter School spent four days touring UC Davis, UC Berkeley, San Francisco State University and UC Santa Cruz in May.
UC Davis was the first destination on the collegiate-field trip. The students said they appreciated its proximity to Plumas County and their families. Junior Bree Reinolds said that UC Davis offers a lot of academic programs that she is interested in. For junior Aiden Vaughn, it was the city of Davis that made it his favorite they visited.
The group then traveled by BART and a shuttle to both UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University on the second day. Lilah Washburn, a high school junior, had a tense moment on BART when she lost her phone but said that the support she received from her classmates was a highlight of the trip for her.
The students had a great time sampling the local cuisine and were impressed by all of the restaurant options at each college and their surrounding cities. Junior Leo Kusener said that a high point of the trip was eating at Zachary’s Pizza in Berkeley.
UC Santa Cruz was the front-runner college for many of the teens including junior Teyton Bridges and sophomore Ruthie Barrett. A visit to the beach and the boardwalk made that outing a standout to the students. The classmates also loved its location to the beach, the wharf and its backdrop of stoic-redwood trees. Junior Simon Becwar-Berry commented that he liked the terrain of the campus and the proximity to people he knows. The students also praised the school’s library, diversity, academic programs and efforts in sustainability.
Counselor Melissa Washburn organized and led the excursion in an effort to introduce students to multiple colleges and encourage high schoolers to explore programs that align with their academic and career interests.
Plumas Charter School operates learning centers in Quincy, Taylorsville and Chester. For more information, visit: www.plumascharterschool.org
Students pose for a photo at Sather Gate at the UC Berkeley campus. Photo by Taletha Washburn
The teens and chaperones traveled by BART during the trip. Photo by Taletha Washburn
The group during the UC Santa Cruz campus tour. Photo by Taletha Washburn
The beach and boardwalk were highlights of the trip for the tenth- and eleventh-graders. From left: Bee Reinolds, Ruthie Barrett, Lilah Washburn, Simon Becwar-Berry, Leo Kusener, Teyton Bridges and Aiden Vaughn. Photo by Taletha Washburn
Is there a similar program for students wanting a vocational education?