VALLEY GLEN, Calif. -- Vanessa Nunez is getting her 4-year old son Eric ready to play. She has four boys, the oldest is 11.
Nunez is among the 29 percent of students at Los Angeles Valley College who are raising children while attending school. While being a student is important to Nunez, her top priority is her family.
"Being a mom, my kids have always come first,” she said.
That's why she’s been a student off and on at Los Angeles Valley College for about six years. She’s left school for different reasons, but mainly for scheduling related to childcare. But this year she’s been able to stay on track. That's because in May of 2018, she discovered the Family Resource Center.
Also known as the FRC, it's a support center for student parents that provides a variety of services, including a playgroup for children while their parents study.
Nunez likes it because she can take breaks and visit and play with her son, but that’s just one benefit.
"One of the main things for me has been the tutoring, the availability of tutors here at the FRC,” said Nunez. There’s also a study lounge that affords her a quiet space to do homework and a collection of text books and school supplies available.
“I started as a student here at Valley College with a two-year-old and my water broke in my 8 a.m. math class,” said Amber Angel, an FRC success story.
Not only does she work here now, but she's also an example to other student parents. In May, she’s graduating with a bachelor's degree in family studies from CSUN. Her hope is that other community colleges will start similar programs.
For now, Los Angeles Valley College has the only family resource center at a community college in the state of California.
“I don’t think that families have changed too much, I think that institutions have changed too little,” said Angel.
The Center helps about a thousand student parents a year. Marni Roosevelt is the director and founder of the family resource center, which she started 18 years ago.
The center grew from there. About 66 percent of students at Valley College successfully complete a semester, but students receiving FRC services have an 84 percent success rate.
Nunez will be graduating in June with a double associates degree in early childhood education and specializing in children with special needs. Her plan is to transfer to a four-year university.
Vanessa Nunez is getting her 4-year old son Eric ready to play, she has 4-boys the oldest is 11. Vanessa is part of the 29% of students at Los Angeles Valley college who are raising children and while being a student is important, her priorities have always been her family. She says “being a mom, my kids have always come first,” which is why she’s been a student off and on at Los Angeles Valley college for 6-years. She’s left school for different reasons but mainly scheduling when it comes to childcare. But she’s been able to stay on track this year, that’s because in May of 2018 she discovered the Family Resource Center. Also known as the FRC, its a support center for student parents that provides a variety of services including a playgroup for children while their parents study. Vanessa likes it because she can take breaks and visit and play with her son but that’s just one benefit. She says “one of the main things for me has been the tutoring, the availability of tutors here at the FRC.” There’s also a study lounge allows Vanessa a quiet space to do homework and a collection of text books and school supplies available.
“I started as a student here at Valley college with a two year old and my water broke in my 8am math class,” says Amber Angel, an FRC success story.
Not only does she work here but is also an example to other student parents. In May, she’s graduating with a bachelors degree in family studies from CSUN.
Her hope is that other community colleges will start similar programs. For now, Los Angeles Valley College has the only family resource center within a community college in the state of California. “I don’t think that families have changed too much, I think that institutions have changed too little,” says Angel. The Center helps about a thousand student parents a year. Marnie Roosevelt is the director and founder of the family resource center, she
She started the center 18-years ago because she wanted to start a support group for parents so they could share babysitting and the center grew from there. 66% of students at Valley College successfully complete a semester but students receiving FRC services have an 84% success rate, students like Vanessa.
She’ll be graduating in June with a double Associates degree in early childhood education and specializing in children with special needs, her plan is to transfer to a 4-year university.
Vanessa Nunez is getting her 4-year old son Eric ready to play, she has 4-boys the oldest is 11. Vanessa is part of the 29% of students at Los Angeles Valley college who are raising children and while being a student is important, her priorities have always been her family. She says “being a mom, my kids have always come first,” which is why she’s been a student off and on at Los Angeles Valley college for 6-years. She’s left school for different reasons but mainly scheduling when it comes to childcare. But she’s been able to stay on track this year, that’s because in May of 2018 she discovered the Family Resource Center. Also known as the FRC, its a support center for student parents that provides a variety of services including a playgroup for children while their parents study. Vanessa likes it because she can take breaks and visit and play with her son but that’s just one benefit. She says “one of the main things for me has been the tutoring, the availability of tutors here at the FRC.” There’s also a study lounge allows Vanessa a quiet space to do homework and a collection of text books and school supplies available.
“I started as a student here at Valley college with a two year old and my water broke in my 8am math class,” says Amber Angel, an FRC success story.
Not only does she work here but is also an example to other student parents. In May, she’s graduating with a bachelors degree in family studies from CSUN.
Her hope is that other community colleges will start similar programs. For now, Los Angeles Valley College has the only family resource center within a community college in the state of California. “I don’t think that families have changed too much, I think that institutions have changed too little,” says Angel. The Center helps about a thousand student parents a year. Marnie Roosevelt is the director and founder of the family resource center, she
She started the center 18-years ago because she wanted to start a support group for parents so they could share babysitting and the center grew from there. 66% of students at Valley College successfully complete a semester but students receiving FRC services have an 84% success rate, students like Vanessa.
She’ll be graduating in June with a double Associates degree in early childhood education and specializing in children with special needs, her plan is to transfer to a 4-year university.
Vanessa Nunez is getting her 4-year old son Eric ready to play, she has 4-boys the oldest is 11. Vanessa is part of the 29% of students at Los Angeles Valley college who are raising children and while being a student is important, her priorities have always been her family. She says “being a mom, my kids have always come first,” which is why she’s been a student off and on at Los Angeles Valley college for 6-years. She’s left school for different reasons but mainly scheduling when it comes to childcare. But she’s been able to stay on track this year, that’s because in May of 2018 she discovered the Family Resource Center. Also known as the FRC, its a support center for student parents that provides a variety of services including a playgroup for children while their parents study. Vanessa likes it because she can take breaks and visit and play with her son but that’s just one benefit. She says “one of the main things for me has been the tutoring, the availability of tutors here at the FRC.” There’s also a study lounge allows Vanessa a quiet space to do homework and a collection of text books and school supplies available.
“I started as a student here at Valley college with a two year old and my water broke in my 8am math class,” says Amber Angel, an FRC success story.
Not only does she work here but is also an example to other student parents. In May, she’s graduating with a bachelors degree in family studies from CSUN.
Her hope is that other community colleges will start similar programs. For now, Los Angeles Valley College has the only family resource center within a community college in the state of California. “I don’t think that families have changed too much, I think that institutions have changed too little,” says Angel. The Center helps about a thousand student parents a year. Marnie Roosevelt is the director and founder of the family resource center, she
She started the center 18-years ago because she wanted to start a support group for parents so they could share babysitting and the center grew from there. 66% of students at Valley College successfully complete a semester but students receiving FRC services have an 84% success rate, students like Vanessa.
She’ll be graduating in June with a double Associates degree in early childhood education and specializing in children with special needs, her plan is to transfer to a 4-year university.
