Someone to Dream With: Kati’s Coaching Story
Kati Ortiz is a cycle-breaker. She was drawn to her work because she is committed to supporting student dreams.
As a Passport student support coach, Kati provides direct assistance and college coaching to students eligible for the Passport to College program at Skagit Valley College.
“Youth need someone to listen to them, dream with them, and talk to them about what is really going on in their lives without any judgment,” Kati says. “I want to motivate students and remind them what their dreams are. Then I connect them to the resources they need.”
Empowering Foster Youth
The Passport to College program helps foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth prepare for and succeed in college, apprenticeships, or pre-apprenticeship programs. Uniquely positioned at Skagit Valley College, Kati works with a larger network of Passport student supporters in the region.
“I really listen to what the students’ needs are, and then I connect them to the right resources or help them find what they themselves don’t even know they’re searching for. Part of coaching is listening, and part is asking effective questions,” Kati says. “I try to get answers from their hearts so they can find their own motivation; their own inspiration. It’s about empowering them.”
Meeting Students Where They Are
Information from colleges about financial aid, housing, and classes can be confusing, overwhelming, and very detailed. Even in this period of remote coaching, Kati has supported students by meeting students where they are.
“They can ask me for help at any time, and the option of texting is so easy for them. The immediate responses really make a huge difference,” Kati says. “Using effective questions via text has allowed students to open up so much.”
Helping Students Persist During COVID-19
The pandemic has had a devastating impact that can derail a student’s college-going plans. Kati has been working with students to connect them to emergency financial resources and other support.
“I saw my students asking, ‘Can I survive going to school while COVID is happening? Do I need to withdraw so I can survive?’,” Kati says. “Some students had to really think about if they needed to continue working, get a job, pay for housing … there was a lot of fear. COVID really put a dent in students’ ability to go to school. It really changed their path of being able to make their own decisions.”
While students navigate the financial and emotional crisis of the pandemic, Kati is available to help them persist in their education.
