Dr. Denise Harshman, coordinator of advancing learning for the Orange County Department of Education, speaks to students in Edmunds Ballroom at Pomona College. (Courtesy Denise Harshman) 
A ninth-grade student asks a question inside Edmunds Ballroom during the AVID 9th Grade Leadership Conference at Pomona College. (Courtesy Pomona College) 
A student listens during a session at the AVID 9th Grade Leadership Conference at Pomona College. (Courtesy Pomona College) 
Orange County high school students take notes during a lecture at the AVID 9th Grade Leadership Conference at Pomona College. (Courtesy Pomona College)
More than 650 ninth-grade students from Orange County high schools visited Pomona College in February for a two-day AVID leadership conference focused on college preparation, access and goal-setting.
Pomona College reported that the conference, held over two Fridays, was organized through a partnership between the college’s Draper Center, the Orange County Department of Education and AVID, a college-readiness system that supports students in preparing for four-year institutions.
During the event, students participated in workshops and panel discussions on topics including financial aid, goal setting and college life. Sessions were led by Pomona faculty, staff and students, offering participants a firsthand look at the college experience.
Dr. Denise Harshman, coordinator of advancing learning for OCDE, said early exposure is key to helping students understand their options.
“Students need to know early what is out there and what it takes to get there,” Harshman told Pomona College.
The conference also introduced students to smaller liberal arts college environments, which Pomona noted can offer close-knit communities and individualized support. Financial aid workshops aimed to address common misconceptions about affordability, including information about institutions that meet full demonstrated financial need for eligible students.
According to Pomona College, the event is designed to help students begin thinking about their futures early in high school while providing practical tools to support their academic and college-going goals.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- In a reflection on the 2026 Orange County State of Education event, County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean highlighted progress in local schools and emphasized the importance of collaboration, alignment and continued support for students and educators.
- The Orange County Department of Education and UC Irvine are expanding a registered apprenticeship partnership that provides paid, hands-on experience for college students while supporting the region’s workforce pipeline.
- Four Orange County school districts were recognized at a national summit with AI K–12 Student Agency Awards for integrating artificial intelligence into classrooms while incorporating student input into implementation strategies.
- Inside the Outdoors will host its annual Summer Day Camp in July at Shipley Nature Center, offering weekly themed programs focused on nature exploration for students ages 6 to 12.
- Laguna Beach High School theater students earned multiple top finishes and mainstage recognitions at the California State Thespian Festival, competing against more than 1,000 students statewide.
- Six mariachi bands from Santa Ana Unified School District schools performed at the third annual El Grito Mariachi Festival, a free community concert held at Santa Ana High School.
- Elementary students from Dana Point participated in hands-on ocean science programs at the Ocean Institute, where they explored topics such as water quality, pollution and marine ecosystems through labs and field experiences.
- According to Voice of OC, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District is considering a policy that would restrict or ban e-bike use for younger students while setting new rules for bicycle and e-bike use across grade levels.
- According to an EdSource report, educators across California are addressing the impact of sexual abuse allegations against César Chávez by removing references to his name while also emphasizing the need for deeper classroom discussions about history, power and student well-being.
This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.