Community Partnerships
The University of California San Diego’s (UCSD) Division of Extended Studies offers pre-collegiate student and parent programs that align with EJEA’s mission and vision to support students beyond the classroom, through graduation, and offer opportunities to the entire family. Through UCSD’s Parent University and Mi Universidad programs, EJEA parents and staff members are enrolled as UCSD students and receive college credit through the university all at no cost to them. The first cohort of Parent University graduates recently celebrated the completion of their first course, a 5 session in-person class focused on Social Emotional Needs. EJE Academies and UCSD Extended Studies will also collaborate to implement the Sally Ride Science curriculum for our 6th-8th grade students.
EJEA entered into a partnership with BLCI In the Summer of 2022 to provide 3rd-12th grade students and alumni currently enrolled in college with direct access to BLCI’s 100 percent effective after-school tutoring, and college and career readiness programs. The El Cajon site is the only BLCI program that includes a soccer component where students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and above to practice. BLCI-El Cajon currently serves 81 students from local East County schools, including 16 current EJEA students & 6 high school alumni.
PICS has been supporting EJEA alumni through the college application and essay process since 2016. In 2019, the Girard Foundation funded PiCSTEM, a program where EJEA middle school students & alumni are paired with college-aged STEM-majoring Latino mentors. Through hands-on STEM workshops, career experiences and academic advising, mentors inspire the pursuit of STEM majors and careers, establishing financial stability for Latinx families. 
EJE Academies entered into a partnership with Mana San Diego in 2022. Through teacher recommendations and a strong outreach effort by MANA staff during the summer of 2022, 17 “EJEA Hermanitas” were recruited to be part of the Hermanitas mentorship program. The 7th & 8th-grade EJEA students and 5 alumni in the 9th grade have been paired with a mentor, selected from MANA’s large network of college-educated Latinas working in different industries throughout San Diego. This group of EJEA students and graduates currently make up 25% of the mentees in the Hermanitas program. Mentors and mentees attend monthly seminars together at college and university campuses around the county. A majority of mentor and mentee pairs work together until Hermanita graduates high school.
The Community Health Clinic, a collaborative partnership that began in 2016 between EJEA and Bastyr University applies the principles of naturopathic medicine to offer a proactive, preventative approach to healthcare focused on the whole student and their family. Under the supervision of Bastyr clinical faculty, the university’s advanced naturopathic medicine students provide free healthcare services to EJEA families, staff and the surrounding community. Due to limited space on campus, the clinic is currently located in a rented space at the Good Shepherd Ministry Center across the street.
Under the leadership of GSMC volunteers, parents, students in the after-school program, and students in the middle school leadership elective, receive hands-on experience on how to grow organic fruits and vegetables in the Good Shepherd’s Community Garden. Current middle school students and EJEA alumni volunteer their time every Saturday at GSMC’s food pantry, where they serve as personal shoppers to 300+ individuals who come through on a weekly basis. GSMC also provides vital no-cost resources to EJEA families and the surrounding community through their pantry, clothes, and diaper giveaways.
The team at Mission Fed provided financial literacy workshops to middle school students in the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) elective class, encouraging them to save for college, a down payment on a house, and their favorite sneakers. Mission Federal has shown its support of the school by attending Community Meetings and sponsoring on-campus events like the Multicultural Fair.
The Welcome Network was formed to support agencies, including school districts, social service organizations, health facilities, and city governments in reaching out to new families as they adapt to life in East County. The mission is to encourage respect, and understanding of diverse cultures through community education and newcomer support. The Welcome Network, in collaboration with EJE Academies, hosts its annual Multicultural Fair at EJEA. The event draws up to 1,500 people and celebrates the diversity of El Cajon through cultural dance, music, a show of traditional costumes, and storytelling.
As one of our newest partners, San Ysidro Health is already a familiar face on campus, presenting to families on resources available to them in and around the City of El Cajon and attending meetings to give out more information. San Ysidro Health will be supporting EJE Academies with onsite dental services.