Students gathered at El Camino, Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the East Dining Room for College Night to learn about everything being offered.

From having donuts with the deans to cookies with the counselors, students got to see all the different departments, programs, and support services.

“We want to make sure that any incoming students of 2019 are aware of what services we have and what programs are available,” Susan Polninsch, Counselor of Outreach said.

With about 23 high schools in the district, Julieta O. Aramburo, Director of Outreach and School Relations, said they also reached out to high schools outside the district as well as some middle schools.

“We want to make sure that students become aware of what we have to offer and start getting ready for college as soon as possible,” Aramburo said.

Coming in, students had the opportunity to talk to the deans of the departments, talk to counselors, apply to EC, and talk to the programs of their interest.

One table, out of the 53 resource tables, was the Women Industry and Technology Club, which showcased some of the projects they were working on.

A manufacturing technology major, Gesenia Grajeda is the president of the club as she tries to “inspire women to take on those roles that are nontraditional in industry.”

In the club, she empowers women and tries to open conversations about male dominant careers.

“With all the events that I’m doing, it’s to inspire women, to not only get into the industry but to stay there,” Grajeda said. “We want to show them the possibilities.”

The theater department also showcased the new shows that were going to be played at EC.

Dressed up as the characters from their upcoming show, Therese Rico,18, theater major, and Cole Norcio, 19, a theater major walked around in characters, promoting their new upcoming shows, “In the Heights” and “The Tempest.”

This event has helped bring students to the theater department as “some see the show and think ‘I want to do something like that’ and apply and that’s really cool and awesome,” Norcio said.

As Norcio and Rico talk to high school students, Alyona Martinez, an 18-year-old high school student, considers EC as one of her options.

Interested in art and animation, Martinez enjoys how big the campus is and the programs offered.

“There’s a lot of things that are really cool,” Martinez said. “There is the First Year Program, all the classes, the campus is really big, which is good, so everything is really interesting.”

As she steps out of high school and into college next year, Martinez looks forward to her college experience.

Her biggest fear coming into college is “going further into adult life, having responsibilities” but she is also excited to have responsibilities as she refers to it as a “love-hate relationship.”

“It’s cool being independent, but at the same time, it sucks,” Martinez adds.

Aramburo said the event was important because it informs prospective students and their families of the possibilities they can discover at EC.

“We want to make sure that students and families know that this is where students belong and this is where students will succeed,” Aramburo said.