Our most intensive goal is the organization’s dedication to community outreach through the Advancing Careers in Engineering and Science (ACES) program. Years of community service activity have taught the organization the importance of giving to society, as it is a contribution to the future of many individuals. Through outreach, we can ensure that our legacy as minority college students will continue by recruiting and inspiring future generations of students to pursue college educations. In serving others, volunteers serve themselves as well. A description of events follows:
The main purpose of EIT is to encourage high school students to attend college, especially in the fields of engineering and science. SOLES has sponsored this annual event for over fifteen years for high schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District. This is a great opportunity for the organization to give back to the community and mentor young students. Our goal is to show these students what college life is like, and to answer any questions they may have about applying to college.
YMD increases the awareness of education to young people from the Los Angeles community. The drive to succeed in life starts at the young ages of elementary school students. Promotion of higher education cannot be left until the teenage years; it must start as early as possible. This program sets the students in the proper direction so that all doors remain open as they mature and continue their education.
Among the young women who decide to attend college, a small fraction of them ever consider studying engineering and science. SOLES initiated WISE to lead young women into researching engineering and science as a future career. This event began many years ago, but in 1996, SOLES, NSBE, and AISES created a new approach to team together and make it a tri-organization event. The three organizations now work together on most outreach events in order to promote college to a diverse group of high school students.
One of the strongest programs within ACES is its tutoring program. This event, created ten years ago serves as a reward/motivation to the students we tutor. The children work hard to improve their study habits and even their outlook on school, but they seldom receive recognition or rewards for the efforts they have put forth. This day is one way for us to show them that working hard can be rewarding, and it gives them something to look forward to and be excited about all year long.
With the decrease in school funding, field trips are becoming rare among many of the schools in the Los Angeles area, which is why SOLES decided to take students to the Science Center for the past seven years. The event is less expensive than the other outreach events, yet is equally effective. The students get to interact with science projects, upcoming technology, and watch an IMAX film. They are extremely excited throughout the day, and teacher follow-ups reveal to us that the students learn a lot from such a field trip.
This is SOLES’ strongest outreach effort. The tutoring program allows us to build long-term mentoring relationships with elementary and high school students. SOLES volunteers assist students and facilitate discussions in the areas of mathematics, science, and language, while emphasizing the importance of higher education. By consistently putting on such a program, the students establish a sense of trust and respect for us; to them we are role models and mentors. SOLES has made a huge impact on the students who participate in this program, and will continue to do so. In the past we have tutored at La Cienega Elementary School, Emerson Middle School, Daniel Webster Middle School, and Pacific Palisades High School.
For more information on outreach events and how to participate, e-mail Rodrigo Flores, ACES Director, at solesaces@gmail.com.