Our district's 75 by 35 student achievement goal is focused on supporting our students to see the possibilities their futures hold. Efforts such as college tours and on-campus career and college learning opportunities ensure every student has the knowledge and opportunity to access the post-secondary journey of their choosing.

For several W.F. West High School students of Hispanic heritage, a trip to the CASHE Conference at Washington State University was one such experience. Some of these students would be the first generation in their family to attend college and they said prior to CASHE they weren't sure they would.

"It actually made me want to go to college," said Desiree Gomez, a W.F. West Junior who made the trip. "It made me feel like I can do this and it's OK to go away from home."

The CASHE Conference included workshops highlighting subjects such as higher education access, financial aid and campus cultural experiences. Attendees also had the chance to meet students from across Washington state who share similar backgrounds.

W.F. West Junior Jose Villalta said he found it really easy to talk to other attendees and make friends because many of them had similar life experiences. His family immigrated to the United States in 2019 to escape extreme violence, bringing very little with them to start a new life. While he can tell his classmates in Chehalis about his experiences, he said many will never fully understand the struggle he and his family went through.

"It was really exciting talking to new people," Jose said. "We had something in common. It was really easy to talk to them. We started talking about 'where are you from?' and 'are you the only one from your school?'"