1. The Puente Project: Creating Leaders for California’s Future
Mary Beth Barrios
Puente Project Coordinator
San Bernardino Valley College

2. The Project Puente History Program components Where we are now…
Founded at Chabot College in 1981 by Felix Galaviz and Patricia McGrath
Program components
English
Counseling
Mentoring
Extra Curricular Activities
Where we are now…
English
Counseling
Felix Galaviz and Patricia McGrath conducted research to find what contributed to the low success rate of Latino students particularly the English Courses.
-Found: Enrolling in basic skills courses but not completing them and not moving on to the college level courses in English
Not seeking/receiving Counseling
1st generation college students
English includes culturally relevant literature
Intensive Counseling
Mentoring to provide direction and support they may not receive at home
Extra Curricular Activities: Museum of Tolerance, social Justice event, Service Learning (all incorporated into the classroom)
Club: Feelings of being part of something bigger, have value, for the first time see themselves as role models
Mentoring

3. Variations to the program
Adding a critical thinking English class to include Phase III students
Adding courses from other disciplines
3 Phases to the program:
Phase I: Basic Skill English Class & SDEV 015 (success)
Phase II: College Level English & SDEV 103
Phase III: All the way through transfer. Include extra curricular activities, continuous counseling services, gatherings, club
History, Interest from Speech Department,
Other possibilities: Disabled students include adapted PE, international students World religions, political science?

4. What does it take? Funding Reassigned time: Space/Location
Basic Skills
Diversity & Equity
Collaborative efforts
Reassigned time:
Meeting with students, Sitting in classrooms
Coordinating: activities, mentor program, advising club, teaching Counseling courses, recruitment, meeting with other program faculty
Space/Location
Administrative support
Basic Skills Best Practices:
Integrating counseling into academic courses/programs
Educational programs address holistic development of all aspects of the student
Faculty & advisors closely monitor student performance
Working with transfer center, EOPS, UCR collaboration, etc.