Rocky Mountain Prep’s PEAK+ program expands, breaking barriers to college access
At the beginning of the 2024-25 school year, Alexis Rodriguez-Avitia wasn’t sure if college was in his future. One semester later, he’s anxiously waiting to learn if he’s been admitted to some of the country’s most prestigious engineering programs.“The program made me realize that I want to be an electrical engineer and continue with that major,” he said. “Before PEAK+, I wasn’t thinking about college, but now I 100% want to go and keep studying.”Rodriguez-Avitia is one of more than 60 students enrolled in Rocky Mountain Prep’s PEAK+ program, a dual-enrollment initiative that allows high school students to take college courses while finishing their high school education. Rocky Mountain Prep’s network of public charter schools in the Denver metro area operates two high schools — SMART and RISE — where students can participate in PEAK+. However, unlike traditional dual-enrollment programs, PEAK+ fully immerses students in a college setting, giving them a firsthand experience of higher education at no cost to them.Through community donations, PEAK+ provides free tuition, transportation and meals, ensuring that students don’t face financial barriers to participation.“This program not only saves our students money in the long term, but it also ensures they can finish college earlier if they stay on track and take all the classes they need,” said Tricia Noyola, CEO of Rocky Mountain Prep. “We exist to democratize college access, which is why this entire program is free of charge for every student.”Free college access is a game-changer for many of these students.“The reason I joined the PEAK+ program was because of the money,” said Ashley Villegas-Granillo, a senior who is confident she wants to be a psychologist. “I felt like it wouldn’t have been smart to let go of the opportunity for a free year of college.”Rodriguez-Avitia also emphasized the financial relief that PEAK+ provides.“My parents completely don’t support me with anything I have to do with college financially. They support the idea, but financially, they aren’t willing to really pay for any of my college,” Rodriguez-Avitia said. “So having the opportunity to get a full free year is great. I’m saving myself a ton of money.”The students say an understated benefit of free tuition is the opportunity to test out college-level coursework before making a long-term commitment.“It was a great way for me to explore the field that I wanted to go into without actually spending any money on it,” Steve Santana, a senior in the PEAK+ program, said. “I can just have a risk-free year, see what I want to go into, see what I want to do.”For Santana and Villegas-Granillo, the year solidified their interest in psychology and computer science, but for Rodriguez-Avitia, it made him realize he’d rather pursue a different major.Building a college-going identityAccording to Noyola, the program is designed to remove barriers to higher education, financially, socially and mentally.“Most concurrent enrollment programs don’t give students the real college experience,” Noyola said. “Our students are actually spending time on a college campus, sitting in classrooms with other college students, learning from professors, navigating a college campus and gaining independence. This isn’t just about credits; it’s also about confidence.”The goal, Noyola explained, is to democratize college access and ensure students don’t just consider college an option but see themselves as college-bound from an early age.“It is very hard to be what you cannot see,” she said. “It is very hard to aspire to something that you have not experienced or that someone in your family has not experienced. The barriers our kids face aren’t just systemic or financial. It’s seeing yourself as ‘college material.’ ”Expanding access: $81,000 raised to support studentsPEAK+ has grown significantly since its launch, with enrollment set to nearly double next year to 100 students, with even more on a waitlist. Noyola said the RMP community raised over $81,000 to support its expansion.Additionally, RMP staff contributed $30,000 toward post-secondary scholarships for three students to use at any college or university of their choice after graduating from RMP.“We’re committed to making college accessible for every child, no matter their background,” said Chelsea Yondo, Principal at RMP SMART. “Students can sometimes have difficulty imagining what college is like, which is exactly what PEAK+ does. It demystifies post-secondary coursework for students who need college access most.”Inspiring younger studentsRodriguez-Avitia, Villegas-Granillo and Santana recently met with elementary students at an RMP school to share their experiences and answer questions about college.“What kind of things did you learn in high school that helped you decide to go to college?” one fourth-grader asked.“Math was a big one for me,” Rodriguez-Avitia answered. “I always loved it, and taking advanced math helped me see that I wanted to be an engineer.”Another young student wanted to know what college students do for fun.“Honestly? Studying can actually be fun, especially when you’re learning about something you love,” Santana said. “And there’s always time to hang out with friends and get free food on campus.”Villegas-Granillo encouraged younger students to push past self-doubt and get involved in different activities when asked what advice they would give to younger students.“Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone learns at their own pace,” she said. “Try to join as many things as you can. It helps distract you from stress and lets you build friendships. Sports, clubs, NHS, all of it makes a difference.”Santana encouraged them not to give up on themselves.“Just always believe in yourself. Follow your dream, because in life, there’s gonna be a lot of people telling you, ‘Hey, you’re not gonna be able to do this.’ Don’t listen to them. Always push for your dream.”With its 100% college acceptance rate for graduating seniors, Rocky Mountain Prep hopes PEAK+ will become a model for other schools looking to expand college access.“No one’s future should be decided by their background,” Noyola said. “Our mission is to ensure every student, no matter where they come from, has access to the opportunities they deserve.”The post Rocky Mountain Prep’s PEAK+ program expands, breaking barriers to college access appeared first on Colorado Community Media.
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