In an effort to educate junior high and high school students on the realities of higher learning and the University of California and California State University systems, Sacramento State Outreach Services has once again teamed up with UC Davis and a number of Los Rios Community Colleges for the 13th annual “College: Making it Happen” seminar.

Admissions and Outreach Coordinator David Ortega said that while the seminar, which was held today from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the University Union Ballroom and was attended by nearly 300 people, was intended for sixth through ninth graders, it was open to older students and parents as well.

“We want to get everybody involved,” Ortega said.

Volunteer Amber Winter, a senior English major at UC Davis, said that parent involvement and student knowledge are essential parts of preparing for college.

“Being involved in your child’s education is key,” Winter said. “By attending events like this both parents and students get a better idea of what classes thy need to take, how much college costs and which programs will be beneficial for them.”

Ortega said the program is meant to target lower income schools, families and students who may not know what their options are, let alone that they have any.

“Just having these students step onto a college campus is a big step,” Ortega said. “Just being here makes the likelihood of them eventually applying to and enrolling in a university go up dramatically.”

Naomi Yates, who attended the seminar with her daughter, Heather Johnson, a senior at Sacramento Valley Technical High School, said she learned about the event by her daughter’s school.

“I received a letter and decided that we should come,” Yates said. “It’s a great opportunity for parents and kids.”

Yates said that both her and her daughter are hoping to hear about UC requirements and fees since they have already been informed about the CSU system.

Mary Jackson, a ninth grader at Jesse Bethel High School in Vallejo, said the idea of coming to a college campus was scary at first.

“I was scared that the college students would be mean or that someone would tell me I wasn’t smart enough to be here,” Jackson said. “Luckily I was wrong….Everybody has been incredibly nice and helpful. This experience has definitely taught me a lot….Now I know what I need to do to get into college, and I’m ready to do it.”

Ortega said that having junior high and high school students like Jackson come to Sac State to interact with current college students and staff members is a key part of the seminar.

“Coming to an event like this and finding a staff member they can relate to or a student that looks like them makes the idea of them going to college seem possible,” Ortega said.