The May 1 event drew 300 students to the Soboba Country Club in San Jacinto

Three-hundred local high school students joined education officials from Riverside County on Friday, May 1, 2015 at the Soboba Country Club in San Jacinto to celebrate National College Signing Day.

Representatives from the San Jacinto and Beaumont unified school districts, Nuview Union School District, Mt. San Jacinto College, the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE), the Riverside County District Attorney’s office and the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians participated in the event to support students who are seeking higher education.

Dr. Roger Schultz, superintendent/president of Mt. San Jacinto College, encouraged students to believe in themselves. He praised them for wanting to go on to colleges and universities locally or outside of Riverside County. Schultz reminded them that they will be the future leaders who will improve communities.

“Get that experience, but please come back,” Schultz said. “Our communities have invested in you. We all know that higher education raises the quality of life in our communities.”

The event is part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher campaign, designed to inspire every student across the country to pursue and complete a postsecondary degree, whether at a traditional 4-year college, a 2-year community college, or through an industry-recognized training program, according to the White House’s Reach Higher campaign documents.

National College Signing Day aims to encourage community leaders, schools, celebrities, and nonprofit and advocacy groups to host a “Reach Higher College Signing Day” to support students planning to attend and graduate from college. It is also designed to celebrate all students and their commitment to complete their education beyond high school, according to Reach Higher.

Guest speakers included Gerry Lopez, Riverside County supervising deputy district attorney; Kenn Young, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools; Andrew Vallejos, Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Sponsorship and Higher Education coordinator; Dr. Roger Schultz, superintendent/president of Mt. San Jacinto College; John Norman, San Jacinto schools trustee; Christina Pierce, Beaumont High School principal; Catalina Cifuentes, RCOE AVID coordinator; and Jen Golden, De Anza Elementary School principal.

Sponsors included Mt. San Jacinto College, the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, Altura Credit Union, the Riverside County Office of Education and other area business sponsors.

For more information: www.whitehouse.gov/reach-higher

Support National College Signing Day via social media by sharing pictures of you, your office, your schools, and your friends representing your alma maters and favorite schools with the hashtag ‪#‎ReachHigher.

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