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News provided by Vecinos de South Pasadena
High school students hoping to catch up or get ahead this summer can find free classes in the How to Enroll in Free Summer School Guide, a website compiled and posted by Janna Philpot, president of Vecinos de South Pasadena, the city’s Latinx cultural organization.
“Many families mistakenly believe taking World History through the South Pasadena Educational Foundation (SPEF), at a cost of $540, is their only option,” Philpot said, citing an example of SPEF pricing. “They aren’t aware that publicly-funded summer school for SPHS credit exists and SPHS students qualify because they are residents.”
The list of free programs available for South Pasadena students can be found at SouthPasadenaSummerSchool.org. Students as young as current 8th graders can use the step-by-step guide to enroll in free credit courses this summer. The guide also covers the ins-and-outs of taking Health, PE or World History in the summer and pitfalls to avoid when transferring credits to SPHS.
“This project came about as I learned about disparities in our community,” explained Philpot. “While Latinx students are about 24% of the population at SPHS, they make up only 17% of kids taking Advanced Placement classes and a similar amount taking summer school.”
“Summer school classes can lead to Advanced Placement classes, early college credit, a sense of belonging at college with its rigors, along with developing a readiness and problem-solving mindset, and that will make a huge difference!” Philpot concluded.
