Kelseyville >> The 10th Annual Lake County University Admittance Reception was held on May 4 at Kelseyville High School (KHS). Each year, administrators, board members, counselors and college representatives all gather to honor the graduating seniors and their families who have been accepted to a four-year college. This year, the schools invited 104 students, up from 95 last year.
Colleges included California state universities: Bakersfield, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chico, East Bay, Humboldt, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Maritime Academy, Monterey Bay, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Sonoma and Stanislaus.
Universities of California: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz.
Out of state and private colleges: American University, Ave Maria University, Brigham Young University-Idaho, California Baptist University, Carroll College, Chaminade University, Eastern Washington University, Hannibal-LaGrange University, Oklahoma State University, Oregon State University, Pepperdine, Salem State University, Stanford, St. Mary’s, The Master’s College, University of Nevada Reno, University of the Pacific and Utah State University.
Guests were welcomed by Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg who challenged students to make sure the world knows just how great Lake County students are. Senior director Tim Gill also addressed the more than 240 attendees and shared his personal reflection of participating in the reception in past years as a parent. KHS alumna and current Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student Blair Brookes revealed some insights as a first year college student with the group, including the encouragement to try new things, remembering those you left at home and to never settle for being the small fish in the big pond. Michelle Scully of Marymount California University’s Lakeside Campus shared her personal college experiences and advice with the audience and congratulated all out of state and private college students. Upward Bound director at Lower Lake High School Shannon Smith of Sonoma State University delivered the welcome bags to all of the students attending a California State University college in the fall and Jacqueline Ross and Blas Guerrero of University of California (UC), Davis welcomed the UC students.
Michelle Malm and her staff at KHS prepared a buffet dinner. The KHS jazz band performed under the direction of Anna-Alicia Fullmer free of charge to the attending students and guests.
During dinner service, guests were able to view a slide show presentation featuring students’ career goals and special thanks to those that assisted them in achieving their college admission. Students were also treated to a free raffle of prizes that included dorm survival bags filled with items such as first aid supplies, hand sanitizer, cotton balls, assorted screwdrivers, picture hanging kits, notebooks, tissue and other items that might come in handy as they venture off to college.
The University Admit Reception was created 10 years ago to honor the work and dedication of students and families who achieved a challenging academic goal. Another objective of the event is to introduce students to other students throughout the county who may be attending the same or nearby colleges in the hopes that they can form a support system for each other.
