Early Academic Outreach

College Academy for Parents is a college preparation program defined by the belief that informed parents can be the best advocates for their child's success in entering college.  The earlier parents begin to prepare and understand the college preparation process, the more likely they will be to successfully entera four-year university.

CAP is offered in three forms to serve elementary, middle school and high school families.  Below is a description of the different variations of the program, and who is eligible to participate:

Program Information

ELIGIBILITY: Must have  a middle school student and attend a Sunnyside Unified School District elementary school.

TIMEFRAME: Entire spring semester

DESCRIPTION: This version of the program is the same as the elementary version, but with modified workshops to support the needs of middle school students and families.  The program is also a qualifying program for SUSD's Parent Digital Advantage program, where participating families could be eligible to receive a free laptop upon completing the program, while also meeting other academic and attendance requirements.

The middle school version of the program is twelve weeks long, with breaks for SUSD and UA's spring breaks, with workshops each week on Tuesdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00pm at Sunnyside High School.  The workshops cover information about parent involvement, the benefits of a college education, admissions and financial aid processes, and the transition to high school.  Six of the sessions are also led by UA faculty, who share their educational experience with the parents, as most of them are first generation college students themselves, and they also share a brief lecture on their topic of expertise.  Parents can attend all sessions in either English or Spanish, depending on preference.

While the parents attend sessions with UA faculty and staff, their elementary-age students attend College Camp, led by UA students, to learn about college and the importance of the many subjects they will need to learn to be ready for it.  Students will participate in fun games and interactive activities to develop their understanding of college.  If families have middle or high school students, they are encouraged to attend the sessions with their parents.

The program also includes three trips to The University of Arizona.  One trip is dedicated to math and science, with interactive presentations from different departments and student groups, while the second trip is dedicated to language arts and culture, ending with a visit to Spring Fling.  The third trip is usually in May at the end of the program, and is a graduation ceremony to celebrate the committment of the parents and students to their future educational success.  The entire program is free of charge.