SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — The Barrio Logan College Institute is celebrating a milestone - their first student ever to go to an international university.
The institute is a mentorship program focused on helping kids from underserved neighborhoods graduate high school and get to college. So far they have a 100% success rate.
"I'm going to the American University of Paris," said Emily Gonzalez.
She is about to graduate from high school and the Barrio Logan College Institute - becoming their first student to go to college in another country.
"I woke up at 2 a.m. and I checked my phone and it was like 'congrats," Emily said. "I saw it... and I went back to sleep."
In classic Gen Z fashion, she kept her cool when she found out she got in. Not just to a school in Paris, but to three of the most notable schools in this country as well.
"My top four was the American University of Paris, UC Berkeley, NYU and Loyola Marymount University," said Emily.
Her mentor is ecstatic.
"Yes, I mean it was shocking," said Karla Zuniga, a college and career success specialist at BLCI. "I have six plus years working with students sending them off to college so she's the first student that I've worked with that's going to be an international student."
Zuniga is in charge of working with students like Emily to make sure they do the schoolwork, meet application deadlines and get into college.
So far, she and the institute have a 100% success rate.
"I'm actually an alumna of the program," Zuniga added. "It was very beneficial to myself and my family so I definitely see myself in the students."
"Third-grade literacy rates have a lot to do with high school graduation rates," said BLCI CEO Sara Boquin.
She said that correlation was the spark that started the program in 1996. As kids became successful in school, parents asked if the program could expand to all grade levels.
Twenty-six years later, BLCI is a community resource helping kids and parents get into college and graduate too.
"Anything that you do with families, with the community really has to have a voice from the community and I think that our secret to our success is really the parents," Boquin said.
Emily's parents said they're proud. Emily herself is ready to go to Paris.
"I'm excited for a change in scenery," she said.
The Barrio Logan College Institute will have their graduation for seniors, including Emily, this Friday. For more on the program and how you can apply, click here.