As part of the BOOST-er Summit you will have the opportunity to visit local high school programs in San Diego.  We will be adding more site visit schools in September so continue to check back for site profiles. 

Please note that you must pre-register for the site visits by paying a $25 fee which includes all a school Visitor's Pass, site materials, and transportation (if necessary.)  All pre-registered participants will be contacted via email to sign up for the particular site they are interested in visiting.

SYNERGY PROGRAM- Hoover High School

Brief Description of the Program:
The Synergy mission is to provide students a safe and enriching place for high school youth during the critical hours of 2:30 to 6:00 p.m.  It is our goal to promote student success in school and college readiness which has a direct correlation to their participation in after school activities because of the connections they make with staff and peers. In conjunction with Hoover High School faculty/staff, Synergy provides homework assistance, and extracurricular activities to enrich the lives of over 300 youth every day.  

The City Heights area of San Diego continues to draw immigrants from East Africa, Southeast Asia, Mexico, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Balkan States. Therefore, Synergy’s priority is to focus on the diverse students of Hoover High, culturally, linguistically, and academically by providing after-school tutoring. Factors that contribute to low achievement in Hoover High students include:

-Poverty is a major factor that negatively impacts student achievement at Hoover. In looking closely at the data, many of the families fall well below poverty levers. 99% of students at Hoover High qualify for free and/or reduced lunch.

-English Proficiency is another factor that impacts students’ success in achieving high educational standards. At Hoover High, 45% of the students are identified as limited English proficient, compared to 28% of high school students district-wide.

-Juvenile Crime is far greater in the City Heights area than in other area of San Diego. Of most concern are the figures detailing the “after school” juvenile crime picture.     

-Family Support is less often available to provide the essential skills, support, and motivation for youth to make positive choices that result successful school outcomes.


Overall, Synergy’s goal is to continue to provide the support that Hoover students need in order to succeed academically and linguistically and prepare the students for a bright future. Finally, the Synergy Program at Hoover High School is honored to be the high school Demonstration Site by the California Department of Education.