When Alma’s family moved to Santa Barbara from Los Angeles, they were hoping for a better life for their children. Alma’s L.A. neighborhood was riddled with violence and did not offer Alma and her sister the opportunities that their parents desired. However, after a few months in Santa Barbara, they realized that their Westside neighborhood was not as safe as they expected. “I remember seeing gang activity outside of our house; the park (Bohnett) was not the safest place then.” Alma’s parents became even more intentional about giving Alma and her sister, Blanca, access to resources and supporting their success.
When Alma began kindergarten, she was intimidated by formal schooling. Learning English and being away from family were new experiences. But Alma’s parents were invested in her success. In 1991, when Alma was 8 years old, she began Fun in the Sun at Ortega Park and was impacted by the Fun in the Sun staff, saying “I felt at home when they told me, ‘we care about you and you can do it’. I realized one person can’t do it [succeed] on their own”. Fun in the Sun inspired Alma to
reach for her potential by trusting her family and community to support her aspirations.
During her high school years Alma returned as a FITS Counselor in Training and then a Lunch Bunch Intern where she helped inspire other students to succeed. After graduating from Santa Barbara High School, Alma spent some time at Santa Barbara City College, but she felt the need to get greater exposure and transferred to Ventura College. Her Childhood Development courses have given Alma the tools to better reflect on her experience as a Fun in the Sun scholar. “I am so intrigued by how much kids learn before even beginning kindergarten and how easily kids fall behind,” Alma remarked. Looking back she sees how the intervention of the Fun in the Sun staff changed her experience compared to some of her friends who did not have the support and “investment” to reach for their potential. Many of her friends from grade school have been delayed in starting college or aren’t sure that they are going to attend at all.
The support of Alma’s family, the Fun in the Sun staff, and the volunteers and supporters of United Way have expanded the possibilities Alma has in front of her and Alma believes it has the potential to change the lives of others in our community. “These children, they realize that their worlds are different after Fun in the Sun . . . my sister and I were like that and we are different and better because of the program,” says Alma.
Fun in the Sun (FITS) is a national award-winning six week summer learning program for local academically and financially at-risk children and families, which reverses summer learning loss and the achievement gap.