[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][fwp-anim-text animated=”true” animation=”enter right move 10px over 1s after”]Big Brothers Big Sisters hosted a special Destination Future event to give youth in the program a glimpse into their futures. Held at California Baptist University in Riverside and sponsored by Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club, the event highlighted higher education opportunities for youth in our traditional and High School Bigs programs, their mentors and families.
The day started with a screening of the “First Generation” documentary in CBU’s Innovators Auditorium. The film follows the journey of four students striving to be the first in their families to go to college—similar to many of the youth in our program.
In fact, for some of the students at the event, it was their first time visiting a college. After the documentary, a guided tour of the campus by two current Big Sisters offered the chance to explore a top-notch university in their own community. By the end of the tour, the kids were excited about their futures. One mentee told his mentor that CBU is now his No. 1 choice for college.
Following the tour, a financial aid 101 discussion debunked the myths of paying for college and highlighted various options from scholarships to grants. It also gave students a chance to express their concerns and ask questions to learn more about the best options for them.
“The event opened the door for our mentees to see themselves going to college,” says Jennifer O’Farrell, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire. “It was an honor to see the youth in our program truly believe for the first time that college is possible.”
Thank you to host sponsor CBU for inspiring young minds and presenting sponsor Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club for making the event possible.[/fwp-anim-text][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=”” width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”2206″ alignment=”center” border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”medium”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=”” width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”2207″ alignment=”center” border_color=”grey” img_link_large=”” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”medium”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_separator color=”grey” align=”align_center”][fwp-anim-text animated=”true” animation=”enter right move 10px over 1s after”]This event is part of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Destination Future initiative, which aims to ensure every child in the program has the support and resources to pursue a path that will allow them to earn a living wage by age 25. Learn more about Destination Future here.[/fwp-anim-text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
