McDonald Community YMCA Graduates Second Class of CAP Students
Jenny Goetz grew up with every advantage. When the TCU student came to Fort Worth, she was exposed for the first time to new cultures and people who didn’t have the privileges she had. She developed a passion for “equal access to education” as she puts it. When she met the staff of the McDonald Community YMCA, a new program was born. The College Application Program, or CAP, is a four-week program that introduces high school students to the college application process, including financial aid, building resumes, writing essays, the difference between 2 and 4 year colleges, and an overview of college life culminating in a tour of the TCU campus.
In the program’s second year, Jenny recruited other TCU students who participate with her in the TCU YMCA program, to help with CAP. According to Dora Soto, McDonald YMCA program director, having the TCU students involved makes all the difference. “Having the TCU students connect with our high school students is magic,” she said. “I heard a lot of conversations in small groups between the high school and college students that never would happen in a larger group.”
For Gilbert Vazquez and Tiana Boykin, both sophomores at Northside High School’s Medical Professions School, the program has kept them focused on their goals of attending college and going on to medical school. Gilbert and Tiana are active in the YMCA’s Youth Action Committee (YAC) and have attended the CAP program since it started in 2005. Through their exposure to CAP, they now have words like FAFSA, the federal financial aid form, tripping off their tongues and have overcome fears of dorm life or other college experiences.
But the high school students aren’t the only ones changed by the program. Jenny, who was majoring in pre-law and planning to go to law school, said the program has completely changed the direction of her life. “Because of this program, I now am headed to grad school and want to work in education, developing curriculum and working with school districts to ensure that every student has access to the education they deserve.”
Jenny Goetz (center), with Tiana Boykin and Gilbert Vazquez