WASHINGTON, DC – The Hispanic College Fund today announced a partnership with AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute to give two hundred Phoenix high school students the opportunity to participate in the HCF Youth Institute.
The HCF Youth Institute begins with the four-day, three-night Hispanic Youth Symposium (HYS), a nationally recognized program that develops Hispanic youths’ understanding of the connection between college achievement and professional success. Additionally, students are prepared with the necessary tools to navigate the college-to-career pathway. Another vital outcome is the establishment of a long-lasting support network for continued professional development and community involvement. After attending the HYS, students are provided with monthly workshops, academic and cultural mentoring, and volunteer opportunities coordinated by AGUILA staff.
“We are very excited to partner with the AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute. Our message to Hispanic youth is to complete high school and pursue college degrees in order to obtain meaningful careers,” said George Cushman, Vice President of Programs for the Hispanic College Fund. “The Hispanic Youth Symposium provides students with a clear career vision, but it is the partnership with AGUILA that will sustain that vision until the students reach college.” CEO and Founder of AGUILA, Rosemary Ybarra-Hernan-dez stated, “This partnership is critical to our youth, to our communities and to our country. Our collective efforts contribute to our goal of increasing Hispanic college graduates, but more importantly, this partnership serves as an example to our youth that success can be realized by people who come together with a common goal of service.”
Additional HCF Youth Institute program locations: The following regions will each host an HCF Youth Institute in 2008: California Bay Area; Fresno, CA; Albuquerque, NM; Northern Virginia; Richmond, VA; Washington, DC; and Baltimore, MD. For more information on the HCF Youth Institute, please visit http://www.hispanicyouth.org.
The Hispanic Youth Symposium is a program of the Hispanic College Fund. The Hispanic College Fund (HCF) is a private non-profit organization dedicated to developing the next generation of Hispanic professionals in America. The HCF mission is to provide Hispanic students with the vision, resources and mentorship needed to attain successful careers and become community leaders. Since its founding in 1993, HCF has supported the education of over 4,000 financially disadvantaged Hispanic students seeking careers in business, science, engineering and technology with over $9 million in grants.
Through programs like the HCF Scholarship Program, Hispanic Youth Symposium, Latinos on the Fast Track (LOFT), HCF Connections and the HYP Leadership & Development Program, HCF is enriching lives and building bridges for our future Hispanic leaders. For more information about the Hispanic College Fund, please visit our website at: http://www.HispanicFund.org.
AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute’s (AGUILA) is a unique college access program for Latino/a youth that helps to build a web of support through sustained support and culturally-relevant, college-preparatory curriculum. AGUILA’s mission is to empower and prepare Latino/Latina youth for college admissions and graduation through a unique approach based upon a greater cultural understanding as a guide to personal, academic and professional excellence as future Latino/a Leaders. Youth attend monthly seminars that focus on meeting required timelines in the college application process, including scholarships and financial aid.
Additionally, AGUILA encourages personal development through participation in: career exploration, leadership development, cultural competence, communication skills, interpersonal relationships, conflict resolution, Chicano/a studies, decision making, and civic WEEKengagement. Referred to as the “Fast Moving Train” in Arizona, AGUILA recognizes the importance of developing strong leaders for the future of our communities and our country through Serving Latino Youth and Building Latino Leadership. For more information on the AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute, please contact Ms. Rosemary Ybarra-Hernandez, CEO & Founder, at (602) 518-0612 or rhernandez81@cox.net.
(HISPANIC PR WIRE).
