An after-school program is breaking ground on a new facility in San Francisco’s Bayview District today that will have the capacity to serve more than twice as many students as the program’s current center.
College Track, a program that helps underserved communities around the country, is starting construction on its new center with a ceremony today that will be attended by Mayor Ed Lee and several other city and school officials.
The organization will be unveiling the design for its new 13,000-square-foot facility at Third Street and Jerrold Avenue, which it says will allow it to grow from serving 200 students to 500 over the next five years.
College Track opened its existing center at Bayshore Boulevard and Jerrold Avenue in 2007 with a group of 50 students. It has added an additional 50 each year since and has “totally outgrown the space,” said Julienne Oyler, director of development for the center.
The new center will have an additional 10,000 square feet, and is “more centrally located in the heart of the neighborhood,” where San Francisco Municipal Railway’s T-Third line runs, so students will more easily be able to get to the center after school, Oyler said.
College Track starts working with students in the ninth grade and continues until they finish high school. The group’s goal is to create a college-going culture in the neighborhood, which is historically underrepresented in higher education.
Today’s groundbreaking ceremony is set for 5 p.m. at the site of the new center.
Supervisor Malia Cohen and school district Superintendent Carlos Garcia are among those expected to attend.
Those wishing to donate to College Track, inquire about volunteering at the center or apply for the program can visit www.collegetrack.org.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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