Reaching out to students beginning in the fourth grade, the University of California, Davis, and Woodland Joint Unified School District today announced a partnership to prepare students for a future in higher education. The partnership agreement, formally signed at a celebration today at Freeman Elementary School in Woodland, will guide 600 students and their families on a path toward college from the fourth grade through high-school graduation. Partnership programs are being funded, in part, by a $50,000 contribution from PG & E Corp. "We at UC Davis intend to make an enduring contribution to the education of these children in the Woodland Joint Unified School District," said UC Davis Chancellor Larry N. Vanderhoef. "The goal of our partnership with the school district is to provide continuous college preparation, from fourth grade through high school and on to college," he added. "UC Davis will remain committed to these students throughout their public school education." About 70 fourth-graders from Freeman Elementary School also participated in a signing of their own. Invited to make a reservation for college, they signed their names to a banner reading "Class of 2009." The students were congratulated today by Vanderhoef; Superintendent Linda Weesner and school board President Bob Salley of the Woodland school district; Principal Evelia Genera of Freeman Elementary School; Jorge Ayala, Yolo County superintendent of schools; Roger Peters, senior vice president and general counsel for Pacific Gas and Electric Co.; and many parents and other community members. The Woodland Joint Unified School District is excited about the partnership with UC Davis, Weesner said. "Setting the vision and expectations of students and their families on making it to college and beyond is a vital part of improving student achievement," she said. "This partnership will help establish that vision for our students and demonstrate to them that with hard work it will be a reality." The school district has been involved with several UC Davis programs, including its Early Academic Outreach Program, ArtsBridge, student teaching and UC Links. "Our experience has been outstanding," Weesner said. "Our UC outreach partners fulfill their commitments in excellent fashion and often do much more than promised. I know this partnership program will be very successful for our students." Weesner and Vanderhoef thanked PG & E Corp. for its generous contribution to the partnership programs. Much of PG & E Corp.'s contribution to the first year of the program will be used to produce publications for students and to support Saturday academies for the "Reservation for College Program" program. Serving 120 fourth-grade students from Freeman and Beamer elementary schools in its first year, the Reservation for College program will introduce children and their parents to the importance of attending college and help the students prepare to get there. "Education is one of PG & E Corporation's top funding priorities, especially programs that support higher education and innovative K-12 programs," said Roger Peters, senior vice president and general counsel for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and a graduate of the Woodland school district. "The Reservation for College program that prepares our children for higher education is a perfect fit," he added. "This exciting program is an important investment in the future vitality of the community." Along with the Reservation for College program, the new, larger partnership includes professional development for teachers, counselors and administrators; academic support for students including test preparation and tutoring; family support programs; and student participation in UC Davis' Early Academic Outreach Program. The Early Academic Outreach Program encourages students and their families to explore career opportunities available to them with emphasis on the relationships among academic preparation, work, lifestyles and earning potential. In addition to Beamer and Freeman elementary schools, other Woodland schools participating in the partnership are Lee Junior High School and Woodland High School. In 1998, the state legislature appropriated $33.5 million to the University of California to fund new outreach programs to increase the number of disadvantaged students who attend college or university. This partnership is one of UC Davis' latest initiatives to support this statewide effort.