Students Build their Future at Evergreen's College and Career Center

At Evergreen High School, students have a place to start thinking about what comes next. 

Inside the College and Career Center, students explore options, ask questions and build plans for life after high school. Some students arrive with a clear goal. Others are still figuring it out. Both are supported.

Aileen Vasquez-Soto, Evergreen’s college and career access specialist, helps guide students through that process. She works with students in grades 9–12 as they explore college, careers, the military, trades and other postsecondary pathways.

Her role is to help students think about what matters to them and what kind of future they want to build.

“Students don't need to have everything figured out. Our job is to help them discover what matters to them and provide support as they build a plan for their future.” — Aileen Vasquez-Soto

That support starts early. Through the High School and Beyond Plan, students take part in grade-level experiences that connect learning to life after high school.

Students in ninth graders focus on building strong study habits. Tenth graders spend time exploring careers options. Eleventh grade students participate in FutureU, a field trip to Green River College and seniors meet with one-on-one with career center staff to finalize plans for graduation and beyond.

At Evergreen, staff work to make sure students have support at every stage.

The impact of that support shows up in student success stories. Aileen shared the story of a student pursuing nursing who faced a challenge when a required class was unavailable. Staff at the college and career center helped problem-solve. They connected the student to local resources and kept the student on track toward their career goals. Today, that student is gaining experience in a hospital and continuing toward a future in healthcare.

Moments like these reflect the purpose of the career center: to help students navigate barriers, access opportunities and move forward with confidence.

Evergreen’s new building, funded through the voter-approved 2022 bond, strengthens that work. The space was designed to support collaboration, career-connected learning and student voice.

EHS Career Center staff say the building has helped strengthen school pride and family connection while creating spaces that reflect the multilingual and multicultural White Center community.

At Evergreen, students are not just thinking about the future. They are building it.