Moreno Valley College receives $1.5 million federal grant for Educational Talent Search
A new five-year federal grant will allow Moreno Valley College to expand its Educational Talent Search program, increasing the number of middle and high school students served annually from 500 to 600 through its partnership with Moreno Valley Unified School District.
The approximately $1.5 million award provides about $300,000 annually to the college’s Office of TRIO Programs. The new award exceeds the $1.376 million, five-year grant the program received in 2021. The office has operated Educational Talent Search since 2017, helping students complete high school and explore options for college, career education and other postsecondary pathways.
“This grant represents more than continued funding. It represents continued opportunity for the students and families of Moreno Valley,” said Micki Rechelle Grayson, Ed.D., director of the Office of TRIO Programs. “Our goal is to make sure students understand that there are multiple pathways available to them after high school and that they have the information, preparation, experiences and encouragement necessary to pursue those opportunities.”
Educational Talent Search partners with six schools in the Moreno Valley Unified School District: Valley View High School, Vista del Lago High School, Badger Springs Middle School, Landmark Middle School, Mountain View Middle School and Palm Middle School.
More than two-thirds of participating students come from first-generation and income-qualifying backgrounds. Students receive academic and college preparation services while exploring two- and four-year colleges and universities, career technical education programs, certificate programs, industry certifications, financial aid and a range of career fields.
Programming includes college and career exploration, campus visits, workshops, academic support and financial literacy. Students also receive help with college and financial aid applications and opportunities to learn from professionals representing a variety of industries.
Since 2017, Educational Talent Search participants have gone on to attend colleges and universities and pursue other postsecondary education, training and career pathways.
“Students cannot pursue opportunities they have never been exposed to,” Grayson said. “Educational Talent Search helps students see what is possible, understand the steps necessary to get there and develop a plan for life beyond high school. They can’t go if they don’t know, and they can’t be what they can’t see.”
Educational Talent Search is one of five federally funded TRIO programs administered by the college’s Office of TRIO Programs, along with Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math and Science, Veterans Upward Bound and the Academic Counseling and Educational Support program. These programs support educational access, persistence and degree attainment for first-generation students, income-qualifying students, veterans and others who have historically faced barriers to higher education.