Kaibigang Pilipino
Community Outreach to Realize Empowerment

Contact: kp.core@gmail.com
Website: ucsdkpcore.wordpress.com

As a student-initiated and student-run project, Kaibigang Pilipino Community Outreach to Realize Empowerment (KP CORE) exists to provide underprivileged communities with the resources they need to access higher education. Through a unique structure and a critical approach, this project will address the academic and social struggles that prevent students from achieving success at their high schools and moving onto higher education. Moreover, the project will focus on the holistic development of the students, challenging them to become skilled and confident leaders in their own right to be prepared for the world after high school. Ultimately, this project will help to provide equal opportunities for all students and people regardless of identity or socioeconomic standing.

Since 1992, High School Conference has been an integral program to the San Diego area as it has consistently and strongly been KP’s effort to outreach to high school students and encourage them to pursue higher education. Moreover, KP has striven to incorporate other programs throughout the year to maintain communication with these high school students such as a Kuya/Ate/Ading mentorship program with Mt. Carmel High School. However, few of these programs took off as successfully as High School Conference and most of them failed to continue throughout the years.

With the passage of the PULSE Referendum in 2007, SPACES was created, which allocated $8000 to the core SAAC organizations, including KP, for programming focusing on access work; thus, KP CORE was born. KP CORE was officially established in the 2007-2008 academic school year by Brent Cadavona (Chair), Aiza Arriola (Outreach Coordinator), and Keith Alminar. It was heavily modeled after UCLA’s Samahang Pilipino Advancing Community Empowerment (SPACE). In the 2009-2010 academic year, KP CORE gained access to work directly with Samuel F.B. Morse High School students, faculty, and administration.
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Components

Counseling
The Counseling component focuses on empowering students on issues outside the classroom that hinder them from attaining their goals inside the classroom. Counselors are trained to help students make educated decisions by offering an objective perspective for every situation. Mentoring consists of personalized one-on-one sessions that allow students to feel comfortable to express themselves.

Tutoring
The Tutoring component works to prepare high school students for higher education through one-on-one and group tutoring. Trained tutors will work closely alongside teachers to develop the students’ critical thinking and problem solving skills. Furthermore, tutors will not only guide students through difficult questions, but also help motivate them and serve as examples of academic success.

Programming
The Programming component coordinates several group activities that specifically cater to high school students. Students will be able to engage themselves in their community and while doing so, develop a set of skills that can help them achieve success. Each program is designed to produce more well-rounded individuals, with a focus on teamwork, leadership, and community involvement.

Workshops
The Workshops component offers workshops tackling important issues to the students’ pursuit of higher education. This component intends to offer an education that is necessary to the students but that which is not offered by the high schools themselves. It seeks to broaden perspectives, hopefully creating open minds and well-rounded students.
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KP CORE Staff 2011-2012

KP CORE Coordinator
Christopher Dela Cruz

Community Coordinator
Kristina Cruz (KP Vice-Chair External)

Site Coordinator
Katricia Manalo

Mentoring Co-Coordinators
Lia Baligod
Sheryl Testado

Workshops Coordinator
Christine Casaclang

Programming Co-Coordinators
Prachi Goel (KP Outreach Coordinator)
Michelle Adea (KP Youth Empowerment Coordinator)

Communications Coordinator
Samantha Acuña

SPACES Board Of Director
Jerel Vega (KP Chair)

Mentors
Ami Lee
Andre Loyola
Andrew Basilio
Benyraemon Batenga
Cat Nguyen
Charles Asamaphand
Christine Bora Lee
Christine Casaclang
Chris Cabading
Chris Dela Cruz
Dennis Abayan
Jaeziel Cabrera
Joe Mercado
Krystle Paras
Lia Baligod
Mary Luna
Melissa Canivel
Natalie Mabalot
RJay Delmonte
Ryan Cabang
Sheryl Testado
Sophie Lee
Steven Carvente

Workshop Leaders
Ami Lee
Benyraemon Batenga
Chris Cabading
Christine Casaclang
Derek Corpus
Krystle Paras
Samantha Acuña
Sophie Lee