We are very excited to welcome our new Advisor and Program Coordinator, Luis Chaidez! A first generation college student and graduate of UC Irvine, Luis is passionate about working with students to help them navigate the path to and through college. In his own words, “I chose to work in the college access field because of my own personal development in school as a Latinx male. Growing up in a low-income single-parent household with limited resources in school helped me realize the immense privilege of using school to level up in life. During high school I developed a lifelong connection…

Trepidation about starting AP Biology and AP English Language in the fall loomed over a group of DTS students as they headed into summer programming.  Instead of letting their worry fester and grow, they asked DTS staff to provide them with summer “boost” classes in both courses to prepare them for the rigor ahead.  DTS provides all incoming 9th graders with a summer math boost to help them start high school with academic confidence.  The great feeling of beginning the school year one step ahead in math not only stuck with this group of students two years later but inspired…

This June, we kicked off week two of Bridge to High School for our newest DTS students.  The week before, we welcomed them to the program and to their new high school in DTS style, with staff, interns, and returning high school students all participating in our programming. Students took a detailed tour of the campus led by 10th, 11th and 12th graders, began to observe their own habits in terms of time management and stress responses, received their fitness trackers and began a competitive virtual walk to their interns’ college campuses, and learned about the addictive quality of sugar…

It’s official! The High School 2019 Class is now the College 2023 Class. Soon they will head to campuses near and far, including Occidental College, Bates College, UC Davis, and College of the Holy Cross to name a few. To prepare for this milestone, students spent a week in our Bridge to College program, where they practiced stress reduction techniques, learned how to map out a course syllabus, created self-care kits, and discussed the ins and outs of college life. They had the special opportunity to work with DTS students one and three years ahead of them, who passed down…

A camping we will go!  During early June, DTS students and staff spent three beautiful days and two fun nights in nature, disconnecting from their phones, tablets and computers, to connect with themselves and one another.  Led by Camp Director Jamie Phillips, the days were full of swimming, rock wall climbing, archery, arts and crafts, and canoeing.  Evenings were spent around the campfire making s’mores, participating in team building activities, and even staging a talent show.   DTS Outdoors facilitates bonding as a group and nudges students out of their comfort zones.  For many of our high school students, DTS Outdoors…