Skip to main content

Back East Scholars Trip – The B.E.S.T. Way To-and-Through!

For over ten years, Grant Cambridge has offered the Back East Scholars Trip (BEST) to our high school students.
Mr. Cambridge developed a 3-day tour of Ivy League and leading universities in Boston, Providence, Rhode Island, and, for the first time this year, New York City. Throughout the years, he has extended invitations to our students to take official college tours of Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, Yale, Boston University, Emerson, Brown, Wesleyan, the US Coast Guard Academy, NYU, and Columbia.
 

“The BEST trip made a huge impact on my knowledge of colleges and universities I hope to attend. We are extremely grateful to Mr. Cambridge for giving us this opportunity and allowing us to take part in BEST.”

-Rich K., 11th grade, Value Schools
 
Grant with our students at Harvard Club NYC with alumni Victor Reyes (bottom left) and Saul Quintanar (bottom right).
Grant with our students at Harvard Club NYC with alumni Victor Reyes (bottom left) and Saul Quintanar (bottom right).
 
Thanks to Grant's incredible investment in our students, they are inspired to apply and attend some of these prestigious universities. One such student is Victor Reyes, who applied and was accepted at both Harvard and MIT. He ultimately chose to attend MIT for his undergraduate and graduate degrees. Last spring, Victor received his Master's Degree in computer science and is now working for Google in Manhattan. Victor has demonstrated our values and generously provided private guided tours of MIT every year for our Value Schools' students.
 
Similarly, Saul Quintanar graduated from Central City Value High School in 2022 and now attends Columbia University in New York City. Saul volunteered to lead our tour of Columbia.
 
Saul Quintanar, Grant and our students at Columbia University. Saul Quintanar, Grant and our students at Columbia University.
Saul Quintanar, Grant and our students at Columbia University. 
 
On their way to Brown University in Providence, RI, and Harvard University in Boston, MA, our students visited the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut. Adding to their excitement was the presence of Casey Frye, an alumna of Value Schools who graduated from UCLA in 2011. Casey's personal journey at Value Schools and her experience in higher education served as an inspiration for Grant Cambridge to establish the Back East Scholars Trip, with the aim of expanding the horizons of all our students.
 
Students at the Mystic Seaport Museum with Value Schools alumna Casey Frye. Students at the Mystic Seaport Museum with Value Schools alumna Casey Frye.
Students at the Mystic Seaport Museum with Value Schools alumna Casey Frye. Students at the Mystic Seaport Museum with Value Schools alumna Casey Frye.
Students at the Mystic Seaport Museum with Value Schools alumna Casey Frye. 
 
Like Saul Quintanar, Josue Morales, who graduated from Everest Value School and then Central City Value High School last year, just completed his freshman year at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He volunteered to provide a private guided tour for this year's BEST group.
 
Josue Morales led the tour at Brown University. Josue Morales led the tour at Brown University. Josue Morales led the tour at Brown University.
Josue Morales led the tour at Brown University.  
 
We are immensely grateful to our alumni who inspire and provide firsthand information to our current students about their journey to these exceptional universities. Their experiences serve as a roadmap and provide access to future opportunities for our current students. In addition, we appreciate our college counselors Denise Marroquin and Jenelle Sagrero for making the trip every year and inspiring our students.
 
Current Harvard students provide an inspirational tour.
Current Harvard students provide an inspirational tour.
 
Grant Cambridge asks our students to give back to their community by sharing their Back East College Trip experience with current juniors, sophomores and freshman. Grant Cambridge asks our students to give back to their community by sharing their Back East College Trip experience with current juniors, sophomores and freshman.
Grant Cambridge asks our students to give back to their community by sharing their Back East College Trip experience with current juniors, sophomores and freshman. 
 
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Cambridge for inspiring our students to demonstrate our values every day and for providing the BEST experience, enabling them to reach their fullest potential!