{"id":40,"date":"2024-10-22T20:36:44","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T20:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dvc.mycareerfocus.org\/winter-2024-volume-7-issue-2\/ygnacio-valley-high-school-teens-can-launch-their-stem-careers-at-dvc-while-still-in-high-school\/"},"modified":"2024-11-13T21:58:08","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T21:58:08","slug":"your-teen-can-get-a-head-start-on-an-engineering-career-with-ccap-stem-credits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dvc.mycareerfocus.org\/winter-2024-volume-7-issue-2\/your-teen-can-get-a-head-start-on-an-engineering-career-with-ccap-stem-credits\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Teen Can Get a Head Start on an Engineering Career with CCAP STEM Credits"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cW<\/span>hen I was a kid, I was in a program that taught block coding from scratch. It opened my eyes to the world of engineering. In eighth grade, I saw a presentation about the CCAP-STEM Academy and how it can help kids that want to go to college for engineering. I immediately signed up,\u201d said Gerardo Garcia, a DVC student interested in a career in mechanical engineering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The College and Career Access Pathway for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (CCAP-STEM) Academy is a dual enrollment partnership between Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD) and DVC, based at Ygnacio Valley High School. Students focused on entering an engineering pathway are able to earn college credits from DVC while in high school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"GerardoWhile acknowledging that the classes were challenging, Garcia really enjoyed his experience.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really fun because I was part of a community of students who were passionate about engineering just like me. It was almost like a second family at school,\u201d said Garcia.<\/span><\/p>\n

CCAP-STEM Academy students take at least one college course per semester during all four years of high school.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey start with College & Career Readiness courses and continue with a mix of hands-on and academic-focused courses. By the time they graduate high school, students in this program complete at least 12 units of college coursework that can be applied to a Certificate or Associate degree at DVC, used for transfer to a 4-year university, or can be directly applied to a career in this field,\u201d said Sarah Peterson, Manager of Early College Credit at DVC.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Students can also enroll in optional summer career academies as well as an internship that earns work experience credits at DVC.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI participated in everything I could, including the summer career academies. I also interned at two civil engineering firms,\u201d said Garcia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Garcia enrolled in additional DVC classes beyond what was required for the CCAP-STEM program, further propelling him towards his future in mechanical engineering. Upon graduating from high school, he enrolled at DVC full-time. He plans to earn his associate in science in mechanical engineering, and then transfer to pursue a bachelor\u2019s degree.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI accumulated 26 college credits just from the CCAP-STEM Academy, plus the additional credits I earned from other DVC classes I completed while in high school. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunities I\u2019ve had through the program,\u201d said Garcia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Garcia\u2019s mother, Cristina Jacobo, encourages parents to enroll their teens in the CCAP-STEM program, or other dual enrollment programs that earn college credits. She says it will help them plan for their future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe CCAP program helped Gerardo to prepare for his entry to college. His father and I are so proud of him, and we look to him as an example for his brother Omar. Gerardo has shown so much dedication to his studies and his future career in engineering,\u201d said Jacobo. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

How Does the CCAP-STEM Academy Work?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cThe CCAP-STEM Academy is open to all MDUSD students interested in enrolling in college courses while in high school. The classes are held on campus at Ygnacio Valley High School, and then as students work towards graduation, they attend classes at DVC\u2019s Pleasant Hill campus,\u201d said Hilary Shen, Program Coordinator for the CCAP-STEM Academy at Ygnacio Valley High School.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Parents interested in enrolling their students into the program can reach out to Shen at hshen@dvc.edu<\/a>, or they can connect with their child\u2019s school counselor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CCAP-STEM Academy Classes\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Students participating in the CCAP-STEM Academy are able to enroll in several dual enrollment classes during their time in high school. Available classes include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n