Nearly 1,000 kindergarteners from the Santa Ana Unified School District got a sneak preview of college and potential careers during the latest KinderCaminata fair, which was held Friday at Santa Ana College.
Organizers said the goal was to inspire the class of 2034 to dream big — and to plant seeds for future college and career paths.
“KinderCaminata offers our young students a glimpse of future possibilities,” Superintendent Jerry Almendarez said. “For most of these students, this will be their first time stepping onto a college campus. It’s an experience we hope will leave a lasting impression as they continue on their academic journey.”
Sponsored booths and hands-on exhibits allowed kindergarteners to explore nursing, library science, theater arts, history and other fields. The fair also featured singing, dancing and ballet folklorico, along with a “Si, se puede” march — that’s Spanish for “Yes, you can” — led by Santa Ana College President Dr. Annebelle Neryand.
Orange County education and community leaders started KinderCaminata in 1994 to give kinder students an early look at the kinds of career opportunities that are possible with a college education. The annual event is traditionally held around March 31, the birthday of renowned civil rights leader and labor movement activist Cesar Chavez.
The Santa Ana Unified School District has a gallery of photos from this year’s event its Facebook page.
