REACH Welcomes Largest-Ever Cohort of Santa Barbara County Students

The Nonprofit Organization Offers Supportive Programming to Low-Income and First-Generation Students

This year’s REACH fellows after their ropes course-based orientation. | Photo: Luis Angel Cardenas

Santa Barbara County high school students are learning how to cook on a $40 budget, alongside finding the cheapest way to grocery shop.

It’s one of the practical skills these students will need to actually survive college. And it’s what REACH, an organization that supports low-income and first-generation students, is teaching its largest cohort of students ever this year.

“These students represent the future of our region; 87 percent are first-generation college-bound, and all are participating in our intensive academic, leadership, and outdoor programming completely free of charge,” said REACH executive director Raúl Aguilera.

REACH guides its fellows through a two-and-a-half-year journey of college and career preparation, outdoor experiences — including camping and trips overseas — and personal, social-emotional development.

This year’s cohort is composed of 60 students, marking an expansion from the 45 students in the first cohort in the Fall of 2023 — all supported by just four staff members, Aguilera said.

The students are from across the county, with 31 in North County and 29 from South County. They are students like Katie Garcia, a 17-year-old student at Santa Barbara High School. Garcia said she joined REACH to put herself out there, and because it seemed like a unique opportunity that was unlike other college-readiness programs that are out there.

“I’m meeting other students from schools I’ve never heard of before,” she said. “One thing I like is that they take away your phones. You get to see things you don’t see every day and appreciate those things.”

The program supports new fellows annually, with 86 percent identifying as first-generation students. They are able to offer the program at no cost, thanks to funding from the Audacious Foundation.

REACH Fellows and Parents during a financial literacy workshop. | Photo: Raúl Aguilera

Kassandra Chacon, a 17-year-old student from Dos Pueblos High School, said she joined for the sense of community and the support the program gives to first-generation students.

“They’re teaching us how to adapt to different situations, and adapt to college life,” she said.

She said she’s looking forward to an upcoming camping trip and a workshop on time management. In college, she wants to study political science, potentially at UC Irvine.

“I’m, like, getting a behind-the-scenes of college life,” she added. “I know I want to go straight to a four-year college. REACH has given me a broader idea of what I want to do, though. I’ve been thinking more critically about what my studies will do for me. It’s opening up my options.”

“Our Fellows are exceptional young leaders, and their achievements remind us why this work is so important,” said Aguilera. “This expansion shows the growing demand for our program and the need for continued support from our community.”

If you want to learn more, get involved, or donate, visit REACH’s website at reachfellowship.org.