By Madi Taylor
Staff Writer
While the majority of Mira Costa students are from Manhattan Beach and surrounding towns, there are a handful of students who commute great distances to receive the quality education that Costa has to offer.
This coming June, senior Jayven Colon will be the first member of his family to graduate from high school and continue on to college. By the day of graduation, Colon will have spent a total of 2,196 hours commuting from his home, located in Lynwood, to school over his four years at Costa.
“[My parents] are really supportive of me and want me to get get a good education,” Colon said. “They really want me to pursue my education and have been very encouraging, especially while I have been going through the college process.”
According to Colon, he is unable to turn to his family for help during the college application process since they did not go through it themselves. Colon has had to turn to other resources to aid him with all of his college applications.
“The counselors in the College and Career Center have always been there to help me,” Colon said. “They have been a great resource for me to use.”
Upon Colon’s decision to transfer to Costa during his freshman year of high school, his eyes were opened to the drastic change in the quality of education that was available at Mira Costa in comparison to the Lynwood schools that he had previously been enrolled.
“The atmosphere is totally and completely different,” Colon said. “My eyes were completely opened, and my path was completely changed from my middle school self.”
Colon’s experience at Costa has opened new doors and opportunities for his future endeavors. Colon has not officially decided where he will be attending college this coming fall but is mostly leaning toward Whittier College in Whittier.
“Coming to Costa has led me down a path that is completely different than [the path of] my middle school friends,” Colon said. “I’m not going to just drop out of high school. I will be able to graduate and continue on to college.”
For Colon, just attending Costa has served as an inspiration for him in pursuing his educational career. It has created an atmosphere where he can grow, mature and develop as a student and a contributing member of society.
“Just learning that there are opportunities out there for everyone, despite your background, is what the best pay-off is for me,” Colon said.
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