Be The Path

Thank you for partnering with Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI) and helping to once again send 100% of our seniors to college this past fall! You helped our students from underserved and economically disadvantaged communities gain access to programs that not only helped them #BuildThePath to college but gave them tools to be successful while they are there. 2023 was one of BLCI’s most impactful years to date and we continue to close the inequity gap in education one student at a time. This was all made possible with your support – thank you.

While our students have achieved so much, there is still more work to do. The demand for our services continues to increase, especially in our El Cajon and Chula Vista locations and it is more critical than ever that our students have access to comprehensive academic support. Nationally, students’ progress in reading and math continues to stall post-pandemic, especially for students of color who were more likely to have attended schools that stayed remote for longer and often recorded greater educational losses. Research suggests that high-dosage tutoring, like the model offered at BLCI, can produce gains equivalent to about four months of learning, yet a recent federal study found that just 37 percent of public schools reported offering such programs nationally.

During this season of giving, please consider making a year-end donation to BLCI and help our students achieve economic mobility and financial security through the gift of education. When you give today, your impact extends beyond tomorrow. You help students like Karla, a BLCI alumni who went from facing housing insecurity as a child to earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from UC Berkeley. Read Karla’s inspiring story and #BeThePath to ending poverty through education when you donate today. Investing in our students is an investment in our community and we are thankful for your support.

Happy Holidays!

Sara Boquin

Chief Executive Officer

Your gift today can help change a child’s future.

Karla’s Path

From a student facing housing insecurity to earning a bachelor’s and masters from UC Berkeley, read Karla’s story about how BLCI supported her on her path to success.

When I found BLCI in 2007, my family was struggling. My brother and I were growing up in a different culture than the one my parents grew up in. Being first-generation meant navigating foreign systems, deadlines, applications, and fees; all daunting, scary things I had no clue how to do. My family was on the verge of living in Tijuana for the 2nd time when living in our van became harder and harder to do.

My father was recommended to BLCI by a friend from work. We applied and were interviewed right away. This was my first interview for anything, and I soon realized that it would also be the most important interview of my life. When my brother and I were told we were accepted, I looked at my parents and I could see hope in their eyes, hope for my future, and hope for theirs. I know many of you know what it feels like for your parents to look at you and feel the weight of the world, it can feel heavy but really that’s how heavy love is.

I learned that your accomplishments are never just your own; your accomplishments are BLCI’s accomplishments, they are your parent’s accomplishments, they are your ancestor’s accomplishments, and they are something your communities will forever be proud of. I also learned that people along the way will invest in you, their time, their support, tutoring, a scholarship, and wisdom; they are planting seeds for the future, not just for us as individuals but for the betterment of our communities and societies.

We must always come back, give back, volunteer, and give our time and energy to the next generation of young people because they are our future. BLCI students go on to give back to the community and go into fields that will improve lives and protect our planet. The students at BLCI know more than most people how important it is to value an opportunity and to strike out on your own path.

Sincerely,

Karla Garcia-Perez

BLCI Alumni, Class of 2012

Investing in our students is an investment in our community. #BeThePath to ending poverty through education and donate today.