Hermiston High School’s Generation College program received The Excellence in Access Award this week.
The award, presented by the Oregon College Access Network (OrCAN), is given to an organization for an innovative program or project that increases access to post-secondary opportunities for individuals who have been historically underrepresented in Oregon’s higher education system. The award was presented at the OrCAN annual conference at Southwestern Oregon Community College.
Hermiston High’s Generation College is a school club that started 10 years ago to support students who would be the first in their family to go to college.
“Since the club started, we have had Generation College members earn 17 bachelor’s degrees and 19 associate degrees,” said Roger Berger, one of the co-creators of the program along with Melody Bustillos. “All of our members have graduated high school with at least one acceptance letter from a four-year college or university. Our members are graduating from college at a 93-percent rate.”
OrCAN helps Oregonians overcome barriers to education and training beyond high school by being the statewide hub for data and information; connecting people and organizations; sharing knowledge and resources; providing professional development and networking opportunities; and educating key leaders and policy makers about supporting preparation and persistence beyond high school. For more information, visit the OrCAN website. www.oregoncan.org.
