CAMP program helps migrant students who are also working attend school.
YAKIMA VALLEY - When you come from a migrant working family, picturing a life that doesn't involve you working the fields can be difficult. Thanks to financial assistance programs like CAMP students coming from this background can have the opportunity to further their education.
CAMP stands for College Assistance Migrant Program. It is a federally-funded program available at several community colleges and universities nationwide. Since the Yakima Valley is a large agricultural community full of migrant families, the programs at Yakima Valley College and Heritage University have helped many students.
Christian Villegas is a recruiter and outreach specialist at YVC and was in CAMP as a student at Heritage. He lived next to orchards and was expected to work them when he graduated high school.
"My parents are very old-fashioned and maybe, some might say, my culture doesn't always see the value in education," Villegas said. "It's just preferred that I got straight to work after high school to be able to help around the house and hold by own weight."
After speaking with CAMP recruiters, he decided he wanted to take a different path in life.
"I showed that it can be done right? It was breaking the chains and changing the family tree," Villegas said.
The program helped him during his educational career by providing financial help, accessibility to internet and technology, tutoring and more.
CAMP students get a $1,300 stipend their first year to help pay for things like books and other school necessities. To be eligible for CAMP, you or a family member must be a migrant worker for at least 75 days in a 24 month period.
CAMP students can also apply to work for the program when they finish their first year.
"Get the experience under your belt so by the time you guys graduate from college then you won't have any excuse as to why you don't have experience in terms of job hunting," Villegas said.
