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Gateway Educational Services is hosting a grand opening for its new tutoring and wellness center at 218 North I Street (i street).
In partnership with a pediatrician, Dr. Cindy Blifeld, Gateway will open a wellness center offering wrap-around services such as educational support, mental health, and nutrition. It will also connect their clients with other support services.
The wellness center will focus on reading literacy for Black/African American and Latinx students in grades K-4 from Lompoc. The students we serve are bright and passionate youth who face socio-economic barriers and discrimination in the education system. These students are falling behind grade level, which impacts their future opportunities. These are the students most in need of educational support.
Lompoc students have been under-resourced. Lompoc Unified School District has the highest percentage of Black/African American students in Santa Barbara County. Unfortunately, Black/African American and Latinx students are disproportionately underserved and struggling to make significant academic progress.
Gateway provides educational support to all demographics; the past four years have been incredibly challenging for African-American students. After a year of nationwide protests and demands for changes in policing, African-American students are feeling the weight of these issues. At this emotional time, we provide mentorship and support to African-American students through our educational programming.
Gateway’s mission is to create access and equity through education.
Tutoring services will begin the week of January 22nd. Contact info@gatewayeducationalservices.org or visit our website at https://www.gatewayeducationalservices.org for more information.
About Gateway
Gateway Educational Services was established in 2009 by educators, business professionals, and community leaders passionate about changing access to education and how students learn.
Gateway has been serving the community of Goleta for 15 years. Their mission is to provide the opportunity for all students to succeed academically. All students will succeed if we open the doors closed to them and create the gateway to learning and achievement.
About Dr. Blifeld
Gateway’s partner, Dr. Cindy Blifeld, is a pediatric nephrologist in Lompoc, California. She is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Lompoc Valley Medical Center and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. She received her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and has practiced for over 20 years.