Preparing for Potential

Launching Possibility in the New School Year

By Dr. Paula Gama Garcia, President

Whether I was a student, educator, or principal, this time of year has always energized me. Even as a seasoned professional who now operates in a digital world, I can still feel the pleasure of color-coding my planner, labeling folders, and organizing my syllabus and books. Back-to-school season continues to ring true for me as the launch of something new, something potentially great; it’s an innate feeling that possibility lies ahead. 

It is our job at CollegeSpring to capitalize on this feeling of possibility and instill in our students the year-long motivation and confidence they need for success. Our students are full of potential. When they arrive at school, they are ready to lean into curiosity, work hard, and strive for excellence. We know this because of how we measure their growth and success on gateway tests throughout the year.

The real story of our students isn’t depicted in our data though. The real story is how, every year, our students overcome insurmountable obstacles in their lives and still show academic progress. In any given year, our students face language barriers, reside in an immigrant community that is collectively maneuvering the complexity of our country’s systems, employ after-school and weekend jobs to help their families make ends meet, or have to navigate unreliable transportation to and from school. Once at school, they face the hurdles that accompany an under-resourced school system, like being one of 400 students to one counselor. These are the students whose success is at the heart of CollegeSpring’s mission.

Make no mistake, the hardships our students face are hard. In spite of this, every year, they commit to their growth journey. In return, we commit to empowering them with free resources that can change their life trajectory. Tests like the SAT, ACT, and TSIA2 offer a pathway for students to unlock opportunities that change their life for the better, creating financial mobility through college and career success. Like our student Joshua shared after taking the SAT last year, “College is going to be an option for me, and it’s going to mean a lot to me to make sure I could do something that my parents didn’t have the support to do.” CollegeSpring believes that every student is deserving of the option to build a better future and knows that preparedness on tests is one critical avenue to do so. 

So, as we enter this new school year, let’s pause and acknowledge the sense of possibility. Aligning our sights for the year ahead with this feeling is what will help us drive our students’ success, despite the challenges that life throws at them. We’re ready for it, and we can’t wait for them to discover their own potential.