Written by Valerye Avalos, marketing and communications coordinator, Nativity Prep, vavalos@nativityprep.org
What monkey sees, monkey will do. Children grow by learning from their parents how to navigate the world: what is right from wrong, how to love, how to be kind and humble, how to pray, and how to become a person of God, among other things. A parent will go to extremes to ensure their child receives the support they need to achieve their goals. At Nativity Prep, the parents are a living testament to hard work and determination, elevating their children’s lives by giving them something they didn’t have: the opportunity to pursue higher education. Approximately one-third of college students today are considered first-generation students, meaning they are the first in their families to graduate from a collegiate institution. Without having the knowledge, tools, or resources to help their children reach that educational level, many families are eager to partner with Nativity Prep, committing both family and student to an 11-year promise. Because at Nativity Prep Academy, College Starts Here.
Founded in 2001, Nativity Prep Academy opened its doors, becoming the first (and to this day, only) private-independent, all-scholarship Catholic middle school and college access program to serve
under-resourced families in San Diego, CA. Since its opening, Nativity Prep has welcomed more than 350 first-generation students to complete their 11-year journey, starting with middle school, through high school, and into college. Reimagining the definition of “support,” once enrolled in the three-year middle school program, students are simultaneously enrolled in the 11-year Graduate Support Program, or GSP. GSP establishes and sustains a college culture that develops in sixth grade through college graduation, providing students and graduates with academic support and college counseling specific to each student’s needs.
The journey these students embark on is often a new experience that many wouldn’t have deemed possible before Nativity Prep. It can be daunting to take on the role and responsibility of being the first in your family to graduate from college. Nativity works hard to ensure that every student knows they are supported and loved throughout their journey. Having the advantage of being a small school—70 middle school students, 22 faculty and staff, and about 40 middle school families—Nativity Prep can prioritize nourishing and maintaining trusting and loving relationships like the one Christ has taught us. Teacher-to-teacher, teacher-to-parent, teacher-to-student, parent-to-parent, parent-to-student, and student-to-student: these are all connections that form around the Nativity Prep phrase, “You Are Loved.” By committing to an 11-year journey, students create an extended “family” network—a community of peers that walks alongside them from start to finish, leaning on and supporting each other along the way. From milestone accomplishments to critical transitions and obstacles, they know they are never alone.
Higher Expectations, Deeper Relationships, Better Outcomes. The days at Nativity Prep are not like those of a conventional middle school. Following an extended day model, the nine-hour school day allows students to have designated times to explore different extracurricular activities, get involved with outside art institutions, and join different sports teams. Additionally, they are given time to work on homework and, most importantly, weekly and daily time to explore their relationship with God among like-minded friends.
While enrolled at Nativity Prep, the first few years of GSP are centered around introducing students to the journey ahead. They explore, research, and present on professional careers, four-year universities, and prepare for the transition into high school. Students also begin cultivating a portfolio, which includes gathering letters of recommendation and updating their résumés. After three years of guidance, graduates are ready to take on the opportunities that arise, like the chance to apply for the Nativity Prep High School Scholarship to attend one of the local Catholic, college-prep high schools. Approximately 80 percent of students attend a private or Catholic high school, 15 percent attend a charter school, and 5 percent attend a traditional public school.
When in high school, graduates are expected to attend the summer workshop session, weekly workshops throughout the school year, and complete community service hours. During these four years of their 11-year commitment, graduates work on developing study skills to support their academics, engage in social-emotional learning to navigate challenges, continue researching colleges and careers, and begin exploring community service and internship opportunities.
By the time they reach their fourth year of high school, with the guidance of the GSP team, graduates focus on college applications, scholarships, and financial aid applications. Ready to spread their wings and begin the final chapter of the 11-year commitment, graduates continue to receive academic and personal support throughout college. For the last four years, 100 percent of Nativity Prep students have graduated from high school and enrolled in college. Approximately 60 percent of graduates enroll in four-year colleges, and 40 percent enroll in community colleges. GSP supports its community college students in transferring to a four-year college. Additionally, once they become high school graduates, students gain access to the Alumni Association, led by the Alumni Advisory Council, or AAC, made up of Nativity Prep alums who stay connected to the organization, by providing support and resources to their successors hoping to ease the roadblocks one faces as a first-generation college student through mentorship and guidance.
Inquisitive, Perseverant, Responsible, Loving, and Faithful. These are the community values that best embody the heart of Nativity Prep—character traits that describe a Nativity Prep student, graduate, or alum. Providing support for students throughout multiple life transitions with consistent faith-based guidance for 11 years allows Nativity Prep’s GSP team to be a part of the students’ formative years, and they acknowledge the importance of shaping the person as a whole. The journey of a first-generation student is a difficult one. With the support and guidance of Nativity Prep, students will form resilient minds, bodies, and souls that will carry them into a life of opportunity, choice, and service–that is the promise.
Nativity Prep is a member of the NativityMiguel Coalition. We invite you to learn more about Nativity Prep and its programs by visiting nativityprep.org.
