Support Javier's Ivy League Dream

FROM JAVIER:

Hello everyone, I’m Javier Aldaco-De Los Santos, a local high school junior, and I have been lucky enough to be accepted into the Watsonville Ivy League Project, or WILP for short. This is a prestigious program for Watsonville High and Pajaro Valley High that allows high-achieving students from these schools with low resources to experience the Ivy League Universities. During our trip to the East Coast we will not only get to tour the campuses of these top-notch schools, but also learn about the application process and school culture, as well as meet the Deans, in order to get a feel of each university. This once in a lifetime experience!

However, it comes at the cost of $3700 for each student, and we can’t do it alone. Your support would mean the world, as you would be helping me on my path to success :)

ABOUT WILP APPLICATION PROCESS

I was one of 15 students from Pajaro Valley High and Watsonville High, who were selected for this year's 2024 program. On top of the existing pre-requisites for this program of having a 3.75 GPA or higher and being enrolled in Honors/AP classes, the application for WILP was a rigorous process, in many ways it was similar to applying to college. I filled out a pages-long application, wrote a personal essay, solicited a teacher recommendation, and interviewed with a selection committee. This nerve-wracking experience really helped me learn about what to expect when the time comes to apply for college, and I feel more prepared as a result.

ABOUT WILP’S SUCCESS

WILP is a program that has proved that it benefits the students admitted, as the skills and experiences they gain from this program have developed WILP’s high success rate. About 21% of WILP students were admitted into an Ivy League in 2022, and if we consider other prestigious universities such as Stanford and Santa Clara University, that rate bumps up to 50%. WILP works and has a successful track record.

ACADEMIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Besides keeping a 3.9 unweighted GPA and a 4.0 weighted GPA with challenging AP and Honors classes, I enjoy participating in sports such as Cross Country and Track and Field (mainly long distance events like the mile and the 2-mile). I’m active in my school environment, as one of the Co-Presidents of S.A.V.E. Club, Watsonville High School’s environmental club, I have gained leadership, communication, and collaboration skills which are not only helpful in working to make my school more environmentally conscious, but also at my other internships with the Watsonville Wetlands Watch and with the Muzzio Mosaic Center.

The Watsonville Wetlands Watch is a non-profit which focuses on preserving Watsonville’s natural environment through community outreach and hands-on nature restoration. I started doing volunteer work with them for community service hours during my freshman year, and later applied for their Climate Corps Leadership Institute internship the following summer. With this organization I have learned a ton about how to preserve and protect Watsonville’s unique natural environment, and spread that knowledge to others who are interested in doing the same, like members of Watsonville High’s S.A.V.E. Club.

Another place where I spend a lot of time is the Muzzio Mosaic Center, another organization where I have an internship. The Muzzio Mosaic Center has brought beauty to Watsonville in the form of mosaics around town, with the most notable being the Watsonville Library’s parking garage. The mosaic center is more than just a place for art, it’s a place where I have gained leadership and communication skills, since we don’t only produce the mosaics, but also set up shop at community events so the public can know who we are and what we do.

BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES

For the Ivy League trip, all of the money raised goes towards funding the trip itself, and here is what each aspect will cost.

$600- airfare

$1,400- ground transportation

$1.300- lodging for 7 days

$400- food for 7 days

Even though I’ve done everything I can so far in academics and extracurricular activities, participating in WILP will be the next step in helping me prepare for applying to prestigious universities. Thank you for taking the time to read this, I would truly appreciate your contribution to a worthwhile program that will benefit me both academically and personally. If you can’t donate, I understand but please spread the word and encourage others to donate, every dollar counts :)

Sincerely, Javier