By Lookout Staff

March 12, 2015 -- In a neighborhood where families struggle with poverty and other problems,  young students who have made it to Santa Monica College will return Thursday for extra help taking the next step – getting into a four-year college or university.

The Pico Promise Transfer Academy (PPTA) will hold a one-stop workshop for SMC students who want to move on but need help with a variety of issues, said Jeanie Ciciora, a spokesperson.

It will be at the Pico Youth and Family Center, 715 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The PPTA provides important personalized attention and guidance for students who might otherwise flounder, she said.

The SMC students see counselors five times a semester – three times regarding academics, once regarding career choices and once for personal wellbeing.

A lot of them are the first in their families to attend any institution of higher education, and need the extra help to make a smooth transition to a university or four-year college, Ciciora said.

PPTA now has 50 members.

If students can’t make it to the Thursday workshop, they can call the academy with any questions about joining at (310) 434-4926.

The Pico Promise Transfer Academy is a joint partnership between SMC and the City of Santa Monica designed to help needy youth at SMC living in close proximity to the college. It assists young people in the Pico neighborhood who hope to transfer to a four-year college or university and complete a bachelor’s degree, officials said.

To be eligible, students must be between 17 and 24 years of age and graduated from Santa Monica High School, Olympic High School or Malibu High School.

They must  live  in Santa Monica. They also must have placed in pre-college English or Math, want to transfer to a university or four-year college and demonstrate financial need. Specifically, that means demonstrate need as verified by FAFSA.

They must also complete a PPTA application.

They also deal with academic and career issues, as well as attempt to guide students toward any psychological services they might need, she said.  In addition, they guide students toward supplemental courses if needed, textbook vouchers and provide tours of colleges throughout California.