South County Cal-SOAP has been helping low-income and first-generation students for over a decade. Our students can be found in four districts: Morgan Hill Unified, Gilroy Unified, Aromas San-Juan Unified, and San Benito High School. Our students receive intensive one-on-one counseling, tutoring in many subjects, and for some hard-working few, a scholarship to help them cross the financial gulf to a college degree.

This book is a collection of their stories, straight from their own experiences. Many have graduated already and many more are still working hard to earn the first college degree in their families. Take a moment to read about their struggles, efforts, but most importantly, their triumphs. South County Cal-SOAP is proud to recognize everyone in this book as a Cal-SOAP student, and their stories will inspire the next round of Cal-SOAP students to appear in Volume 2 of the Alumni Project.