As of Jan. 23 this year, Southwestern Community College (SWC) has given out a special discount for students of Bonita Vista High (BVH). The discount reduced membership costs for SWC’s athletic centers, such as their gym and pool from 50 dollars to 22 dollars. Originally, BVH Principal Lee Romero attached a flier in one of his newsletters that revealed the discount and the price changes. Romero explains how this deal came to be, and what led up to its implementation this school year.
“I swim at Southwestern College because they open the pool at 5:30 [A.M] and it is something that I have done for the last five years. So after a while, I got to know the people there,” Romero said. “We’re able to work out a deal for all of our students.”
Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies, United States History, and Ethnic Studies teacher) Don Dumas is a SWC board member so together with the Jaguar Aquatics, Wellness & Sports (JAWS) club members and directors, and together they created this discount.
“Our goal is to make SWC the premier community college in all of California. You are going to have a hard time finding a community college with facilities as nice as SWC’s. We want to get that word out there and get people in and have them experience it,” Dumas said.
This discount allows students and staff to see the facilities provided and allows students to work out and put in thought towards where they want to attend college. Dumas wants to emphasize the “community” aspect of community college by allowing BVHS students to use their equipment and work out.
“We want BVH students and wider residents of Chula Vista to not just drive past SWC and look at it as some big place that they have no connection to or that they do not belong [to]. Instead, we want people to look at it and understand that ‘I can pull into that parking lot there and be welcomed. There are things there for me,” Dumas said.
Romero explains that this discount has some limitations to it. For example, this is limited to those 16 or older as well as students who sign up for this program requiring a parent-signed permission slip. He explains that this is because there are also adults who use the very same areas.
“There are some liability issues there. That is common with every gym, like even the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) where there are age limits, and I believe it is closer to eighteen. Southwestern College is doing a deal for us and they’re saying [above the age of 16 is the requirement],” Romero said.
Romero mentions that he sees students after school going home and knows that these students usually don’t have much to do. Romero recommends students go out to SWC, so that they can work out, swim, or exercise instead of being cooped up at home until the next day.
“I know a lot of students who, after school other than homework, have nothing else to do. You and your friends [could] go [visit the gym] instead of just going straight home and watching TV, or playing video games, go and exercise for an hour on your way home,” Romero said.
Dumas also wants to convince college students to use the amenities at SWC and work out. This is so college students are interested after seeing all the amenities there to transfer to SWC and see all the classes and programs available for them.
“I think people at SWC hope that the university students will see the amenities and facilities there at SWC and give some serious thought about attending. We hope students use the gym and the athletic facilities there and can start to envision themselves as a college student there,” Dumas said.
Romero had noticed that not many students had used the discount, like the members of Flex Club. Flex Club Officer and junior Guillermo Smith explains that the requirements needed to apply for the discount made the whole ordeal and process of purchasing the membership confusing for some of the members.
“I tried getting [the discount] about two weeks after they had announced it. I was told that you could join through the website but there was nothing there, so I went in person and the workers there did not know there was a discount,” Smith said.
Furthermore, Smith expanded on that by stating that they required students to be enrolled in a class at SWC before they could use the discount. Multiple members of Flex Club gave up on trying to purchase a membership with the discount because they were annoyed about having to attend a class at SWC to use SWC’s gym and athletic areas.
“I would join if they were more clear on how to join. I think the confusion could’ve just been me, but at the beginning, it turned away students from joining,” Smith said.
Even despite the setbacks, Romero still wishes students, staff, and their families would take advantage of this opportunity and use some of SWC’s resources and take the classes that are also available.
“I am 60 years old, I still feel healthy and I still swim every morning. I’m out there at 5:30 A.M. in the morning swimming just because it makes me feel good. So I am hoping that students and families take advantage of it,” Romero said.
