South East High School / Magnet

Kelley Williams holds a bachelor’s in journalism from Cal State Long Beach and a master’s in educational counseling from Cal State Dominguez Hills.

“I love my job because I get to work with young people and help them learn about the endless possibilities they have to create and achieve their future goals.”

Rosa is a proud LAUSD graduate and holds a bachelor’s in Psychology from CSULA.

“My post-secondary began at East Los Angeles College (ELAC) and then transferred to California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), where I earned my Bachelor’s in Psychology. I strongly believe that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’; therefore, collaboration between all stakeholders is essential for our student to succeed.”

Sheyla Perez is a former GEAR UP student who holds a bachelor’s in sociology and minors in education and philosophy from UC Santa Barbara.

“GEAR UP helped me get through my high school years, connect with beautiful people, and get through college. I love my job because I can help students like myself who might not be aware of college and how it works but, nonetheless, have the potential to further their education.”

Luis holds a bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Health & Human Services with an emphasis in Social Work from Cal State Monterey Bay.

I am privileged to share space with students at South East High School as they are the beating heart of the GEAR UP program. The students we serve surprise me every year; learning, collaborating, and aiming towards every single one of our goals, that is what makes this work gratifying and exciting!

Viviana, who grew up in Los Angeles, is the first in her family to attend college.

“I know that the transition from high school to college can be intimidating. This position is a great opportunity because it will give me the chance to collaborate with parents and students while they make this transition and, hopefully, I can help it be a smooth one.”