What:
Forty promising high school students from Compton Unified School District are participating in a UC college awareness program designed to demystify the university and solidify their aspirations to attend college. For two weeks, the students will be treated to a whirlwind 'magical school bus' tour of four UC campuses that culminates in a four-day visit to UC Santa Cruz. The free program includes lectures, labs, and field trips that give students hands-on learning opportunities in math, science, and California history.

Who:
Forty students entering grades nine through eleven from Compton Unified School District.
Available for Interviews
-Both current and past participants, including a tour "graduate" who just completed her first year at UC Santa Barbara
-Carrol Moran, director of UCSC's Educational Partnership Center

Where:
Students will visit UC Santa Barbara; UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab in Petaluma; UC Berkeley; and UC Santa Cruz.

When:
UC Santa Barbara: 7/29-8/1
UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab in Petaluma, California: 8/2-3
UC Berkeley: 8/4-5
UC Santa Cruz: 8/6-10

Why:
The Magical School Bus tour opens up the world of college to participants, many of whom will be the first in their families to attend college. The program has a proven track record of motivating students who had not dreamed of attending college by giving them the boost of confidence and the hands-on knowledge they needed to aspire to attend the University of California.

Visuals:
Forty bright, ethnically diverse high school students from Compton at the UC Santa Cruz campus interacting with math and science professors, participating in field trips to the ocean, and experiencing college life.