OUTREACH PROGRAM HELPS FULFILL DREAMS OF GOING TO COLLEGE VOLUNTEERS TO FAN OUT TO FIND PROMISING STUDENTS.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

NORTHRIDGE - Growing up in Pacoima as the oldest daughter of Mexican immigrants who never finished elementary school, Maritza Lopez dreamed of attending college, but didn't think she could afford it.

She had heard about Project GRAD Los Angeles, which provides scholarships for promising students, but didn't take it seriously until program representatives showed up at her home one Saturday when she was in the ninth grade.

``That's when I opened my eyes and said, I'm not making this program as important as I should be - this could make it possible for me to go to college,'' recalled Lopez, now 18.

Today, thanks to Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams), Lopez is a freshman at California State University, Northridge, with plans to be a marriage and family therapist.

And on Saturday, just as she did last year, Lopez will join about 1,000 other Project GRAD volunteers as they visit 2,500 homes in Arleta, Pacoima, San Fernando and Sylmar, encouraging other teens to fulfill their dreams.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; U.S. Rep. Howard Berman, D-Van Nuys; state Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys; Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez and Los Angeles City Council members Alex Padilla and Wendy Greuel have been invited to help kick off the event at 9 a.m. Saturday at Pacoima Middle School.

They and other parents, teachers, administrators, business leaders and community members will reach out to sixth- and ninth-grade students and their families to talk about education and the Project GRAD Los Angeles college scholarship program.

``The one-on-one contact is really important because most of these students are the first in their families to go to college,'' said Ashley De Lucca, communications director of Project GRAD Los Angeles.

``The families can see these students who are successful, who are going to college on a scholarship, and they're from the community - and (the families) know it's possible.''

Students who participate in the pre-college outreach program and graduate from San Fernando High School are eligible for up to $6,000 in college scholarships. Many local universities and colleges, including Pepperdine University, Pitzer College, Mount St. Mary's College, Marymount College and the University of Judaism will match Project GRAD's scholarship, making it worth up to $12,000.

``I think there is a myth about the price of college,'' De Lucca said. ``A lot of families want this for their children, but think, 'There's no way we can do this financially.' They don't understand the opportunities with financial aid and scholarships.''

Ninth-grade students sign a scholarship agreement in which they pledge to maintain a 2.5 grade-point average, take all the courses required for admission to the University of California and California State University systems, take the PSAT, SAT/ACT, and participate in two four-week college institutes during their school breaks.

This June, Project GRAD Los Angeles celebrated its third class of scholars to graduate from San Fernando High School. Today, there are 450 students enrolled in college with Project GRAD scholarships.

``These kids are the future of our country,'' De Lucca said. ``The more prepared they are on the front end, the greater the chances are they'll be successful in college and come back to the community and really make a difference.''

Lisa M. Sodders, [phone]

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com

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(color) Maritza Lopez, 18, of Pacoima is now attending CSUN.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer