Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
YUCAIPA, CA— For Lauren Valdez, Crafton Hills College was the perfect place for her to make connections and discover opportunities. About two years ago, the now 18-year-old Redlands resident made the choice to take the California Proficiency Exam and start her college career at the Yucaipa-based college.
“I was going to Redlands High School and just felt it wasn’t the best choice for me,” said the youngest member of the Class of 2022. “But I couldn’t go to a four-year university because I did not have the A-G requirements needed, so the plan was to do my general ed courses at Crafton and then transfer to a four-year university.”
But Valdez found more at Crafton, she said, including that sense of belonging that she did not experience while attending RHS. Crafton, she explained, “was the closest community college to me, but when I got here, I absolutely loved it here and there were so many opportunities for me.”
Those opportunities included having her first two years of college paid for through the CHC Promise Program and diverse course offerings, including Chicano studies.
“It was just balanced,” she said.
Valdez has plans to attend UCLA in the fall and hopes to receive a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in gender studies. But what she really wants to do is become a poet.
As for others who might want to follow in Valdez’s footsteps, she has some words of wisdom for you. “I think my advice would be to try it. It couldn’t hurt because it can only help you if you go for it,” she said. “If you work hard and stick with it, you’ll see the reward at the end.”
