NEWS RELEASE: The LSF Celebrates Another Successful School Year at its Annual Showcase of Scholars

For Immediate Release            Contact: Maria Fernanda Borja, Executive Director

Washington, D.C.                      (202) 244-3438

Congratulations to the 2012-2013 PreK-12 LSF Scholars

Washington, D.C. - June 10, 2013 – The Latino Student Fund (LSF) annual Showcase of Scholars was held on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at the Fannie Mae Conference Center, to celebrate the accomplishments of students participating in the LSF Scholars Program. 

Sending off the 12th grade LSF Scholars

For the 2012-2013 academic year, the Scholars Program provided nearly $100,000 in financial aid and education-related support to 96 grade Latino students representing over 50 independent and parochial schools in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.  The LSF offers continued support from the time students are accepted into the program until they graduate from high school.  At the Showcase, each PreK-12 Scholar received a certificate of completion and three high school Scholars were given special awards for Academic Achievement, Community Service and Leadership.  The LSF would like to honor its six 12th grade Scholars from the graduating class of 2013.  This fall, the seniors will attend: Carnegie-Mellon University, St. John’s University, St. Mary’s College, University of Maryland-College Park and West Virginia University.  The LSF is proud to report that 100% of its Scholars have graduated from high school and have been accepted to institutions of higher education since the program was established in 1994.

Keynote speaker Chris Simmons,

Managing Partner of PwC, meeting

1st grader Madeleine 

(National Presbyterian School)

In attendance at the Showcase were several influential corporate and community leaders: Mario Acosta-Velez (Verizon); Montez J. Anderson (Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation); Nelson Ayala (Caucus Salvadoreño Empresarial); Carlos Carmona (Capital One); Rolo Duartes (Entravision Communications Corporation); Nathan Graham (Procter & Gamble); Clayton Lawrence (Lawrence Executive Alliance of Professionals); Carlos Vasquez (New York Life) and others.  Chris Simmons, Managing Partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), delivered the keynote speech, inspiring students to challenge themselves and embrace diversity.  

The LSF would like to recognize its corporate sponsors that have been instrumental in providing support for the Scholars Program, including: The Bancroft Foundation, Children’s Charities Foundation, Freddie Mac Foundation, Mattress Warehouse, Procter & Gamble, Fannie Mae, New York Life.

To view more photos from the 2013 Showcase of Scholars, please visit our website or Facebook page.

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About the LSF

The mission of the Latino Student Fund (LSF) is to provide opportunities for a strong academic foundation for PreK-12th grade students of Hispanic descent to promote higher education and professional leadership.  For further information, please contact us at (202) 244-3438 or communications@latinostudentfund.org, or visit www.latinostudentfund.org. 

Debt And The Modern Parent Of College Kids

Its college touring season and many parents are on the road with their teenagers, driving from school to school and thinking about the college application — and financial aid — process that looms ahead. Many baby boomers have already been through this stage with their kids, but because the generation spans about 20 years, others still have kids at home. 

Think about college costs in chunks.

Let’s think about the $60,000/all-in four-year cost. He basically looked at it like this: Think about saving $20,000 before the kid starts, which is a reasonably easy thing to do if you do it over 18 years. Then spend $20,000 out of your current earnings during the time that your child is in college. It might mean some sacrifices — some very careful budgeting, a lot of rice and beans on the table — but it's doable. 

Your kid has been admitted to an expensive private school? Time to get real.

"You have to begin by having a truly honest conversation with yourself about the emotional framework for this decision because that's where all big-money decisions start. First, there's this feeling of 'Can I or should I say no to my child who wants to go to a $60,000-a-year school when they've already gotten admission to the flagship public university in our state that only costs $20,000?' And then there's the question of 'Is it worth it?

Is there a hard line to draw for taking on debt?

"For kids, I just think it's unwise to take on any debt beyond whatever the federal student loan limits are. They're generally just above $30,000

How old are the parents? How much money do they already have saved in retirement? Do you have the ability to earn income if you deplete your assets or don't save as much for retirement because you're paying $60,000 a year instead of $20,000 a year?

Worst-case scenarios

There are series of stories about student debt and all of the consequences of taking too much on and more than a handful of cases where it wasn't the students who were in bankruptcy court, it was the parents ... or sometimes a grandparent or an aunt or an uncle who had signed on as a co-signer to a student loan. 

Full Story 

U.S. Army Partners with USHLI to Reinforce Career Success for Hispanic Youth

The U.S. Army is once again joining forces with the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) to ensure Hispanic youth are prepared to attend college and become leaders in their communities. As part of this partnership, the Army will again sponsor and host a leadership workshop at USHLI's annual conference, Feb. 13-16 in Chicago, where academic and career opportunities are showcased to the Hispanic community. According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Education, Hispanic youth are more likely to drop out of high school than other groups, and Latino students who attend college are less likely to graduate than students of other ethnicities. The Army, and organizations like USHLI, is committed to increasing access to higher education, leadership development and career opportunities for Hispanic students.  The Army boasts the nation's largest college scholarship program, investing almost $280 million at more than 1,300 college campuses nationwide through its senior ROTC program. For more information about scholarship opportunities visit GoArmyROTC. The Army's commitment to education is also evident via the free resources and programs it provides to middle school and high school students. The Army-sponsored March 2 Success program is a free web-based learning tool designed to assist educators, parents and students to prepare for high school entrance and standardized testing, as well as the ACT and SAT college entrance exams. Parents and educators interested in learning more about the March 2 Success program should visit the Web site March2Success.com. For more than ten years, USHLI and the U.S. Army have worked together to generate awareness and build mutual support among community leaders and USHLI constituents.  The partnership exists to create, promote and implement education and leadership training opportunities for youth across the nation. The Army will continue to support USHLI throughout the year as a sponsor of their Student Leadership Summits (SLS) professional development seminars that take place throughout the country and feature nationally prominent motivational speakers. Read full story. 

Why Spanish is so Important for Students?

Traditionally, people educated in the United States have not been obligated to learn another language beyond English. But times have changed. Globalization, particularly in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, has elevated the increasing importance of being able to communicate with citizens from other countries. Increasingly, the second language U.S. citizens are choosing to learn is Spanish. Trends today show that Americans are studying Spanish in record numbers. Indeed, education in an international setting is becoming a top mandate for the American government because people need to compete economically. According to Business Week  for example, more students studying for an MBA in today's world are choosing to become trilingual by learning English, French, and Spanish. Moreover, two of the top ten MBA schools outside the U.S. are located in Spain. Many other reasons compel people to learn Spanish as a second language. Why is it important to learn Spanish? First, almost 500 million people worldwide speak Spanish. Even more compelling is the fact that about half of the population in the Western hemisphere speaks Spanish, making it the primary language for as many people as English in this region of the world. Most citizens in South America speak primarily Spanish (aside from Brazil), as do people living in just about all of Central America, Mexico, and Latin America—more than 15 countries in total. In addition, within the United States, Spanish is the second most widely spoken language after English—by a very wide margin. Third, Spanish is the third-most commonly spoken language in the world. In contrast, Spanish is spoken in more than 21 countries. Students at Mount Pleasant Academy in South Carolina are getting an early start at learning foreign language and it’s all thanks to team work and support from parents. Spanish comes to you at Mount Pleasant Academy, and the mobile classroom makes frequent stops. Spanish teacher Amanda Palacio says, “It’s Spanish on wheels. I go to classrooms. Kindergarten through third grade has me twice a week. Fourth and fifth have me once a week, and I spend thirty minutes with each class that I go to, and we do an assortment of things. We play games; we go through a lot of vocabulary. We’ve learned all the basics like greetings, colors, month, we focus on seasons, but a lot of it has been practicing conversations.” Foreign language is not funded by the school district on the elementary levels, so the PTA is footing the bill. This is the first year for the program at Mount Pleasant Academy. “It’s the pride and joy of our school. Our PTA worked real hard to raise the funds to have a Spanish teacher this year. The children love it, the parents love it. I think it’s definitely an advantage to be exposed to a different culture and language so we are real excited about it,” says Principal Jane Davis. MPA is among the highest when it comes to student achievement in the state. The PTA also raised money for a computer teacher and new playground equipment.

A History of Latinos in the Big Game

Many prominent football players have made it to the big game and represented their culture and heritage in the Super Bowl. Fox New Latino takes a look at some of the greatest and in some cases just players who made it to the big game and the impact they’ve had on the sport.

This is not a comprehensive list of all Latinos who’ve played in the Super Bowl, but a list of the bigger names and obvious participants.

Last Year

Victor Cruz and Aaron Hernandez

The New York Giants Victor Cruz has become a media sensation in his short time in the league with his Latino flair and salsa dancing.  Just last year the wide receiver won his first championship with the Giants, catching a touchdown at Super Bowl XLVI. Cruz’s mother is Puerto Rican. The losing New England Patriots had tight end Aaron Hernandez, who is also of Puerto Rican heritage. He led the team with 67 receiving yards and also scored a touchdown for his team, though the team ended up losing.

The Legends

Tom Flores – Quarterback/Head Coach - Oakland / LA Raiders

Flores was the first Latino quarterback in the NFL and the first Latino to lead a team to a Super Bowl title. Flores won a Super Bowl as a Kansas City Chiefs (he backed up Len Dawson), an assistant coach with the Raiders and most notably as head coach of the Raiders in Super Bowl XV and XVIII. Flores still hasn’t been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jim Plunkett – Quarterback - Oakland Raiders

Jim Plunkett, who is Mexican-American, won the Heisman Trophy as quarterback with Stanford University in 1970, the first Latino to win the big prize. He was the first Latino to get drafted in the 1st round selected first overall. In 1981, Plunkett led the team to his first Super Bowl win as the game’s MVP.  Three years later, he did it again.

Ted Hendricks – Linebacker – Baltimore Colts/Oakland / LA Raiders

Hendricks was born in Guatemala his mother a native of the country. He earned his Hall of Fame status in 1990. He dominated as a pass-rushing linebacker, earning eight Pro Bowl appearances and being named first-team All Pro four times. He finished with 60.5 sacks, 26 interceptions and was a member of four Super Bowl-winning teams.

Anthony Muñoz – Offensive Tackle – Cincinatti Bengals

Hall of Fame lineman Anthony Muñoz played in two Super Bowls, XVI and XXIII.  But each time his team lost to the San Francisco 49ers.

Manny Fernandez – Defensive Tackle – Miami Dolphins

Manny Fernandez played in three Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins. In Super Bowl VII he had 17 tackles as the Dolphins beat the Redskins and completed the only undefeated season of NFL history.

Joe Kapp – Quarterback – Minnesota Vikings

Kapp entered the NFL in 1967 and led the Vikings to their first division title and Super Bowl, losing to the Chiefs in Super Bowl IV.  In 1970, he made the cover of Sports Illustrated in a piece titled “The Toughest Chicano.”

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2013/02/01/super-bowl-history-latinos-in-big-game/#ixzz2JfcDyRuC

Eva Longoria Foundation Supports Latinas Education

Eva Longoria, the award winning Desperate Housewives actress, has a heart as big as her smile and she has never forgotten her roots.  Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, her ancestry is Mexican.  Eva grew up in a tight knit community that has made her the confident person that she is today.  She has had a wonderful upbringing - went to a good high school, college, and began a successful career before acting, but realizes that not everyone is as fortunate. Eva is giving back to the Latina community by creating the "Eva LongoriaFoundation".  The Eva Longoria Foundation helps Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship. The Foundation supports programs which help Latinas graduate high school college-ready. Additionally, it works to provide Latina entrepreneurs with career training, mentorship, capital, and opportunity. By investing in Latinas, the Eva Longoria Foundation hope to build a stronger future for our country. In 2012, the Eva Longoria Foundation teamed up with GlobalMojo to build the Eva Longoria Foundation Giving Assistant and give fans and supporters a new, free way to raise funds for the Foundation.Their mission is "to help Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship".  They support programs and schools that help build a better future for other Latinas. Her foundation recently teamed up with the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) to help more Latinas go to College.  Statistics show that while only 15% of Latinas graduate from college, 80% of Latina teens aspire to go to college.  There is a lot of work to be done, but it is very promising. 

Assessing the LSF Tutoring Program

Our students painting with Vanessa Sierra
 at Orientation on 8/25/2012!

The Latino Student Fund's Tutoring Program provides free support and academic assistance to Washington metropolitan area Latino students to ensure their academic success.  This program is open to Hispanic students in grades PreK-12, from both public and private schools. We offer breakfast and individualized tutoring to support students in a variety of academic subjects.  The tutoring sessions are held at the National Cathedral School on Saturdays during the school year from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Click here to see the program in action!
The Latino Student Fund's Tutoring Program officially began on Saturday, September 8, 2012. We would like to take a moment to share some of the new aspects of the 2012/2013 program, and some insights and questions that have arisen thus far.

What’s working: 
Student assessments provide a benchmark for tutors 
For some time now, students in 1^st through 12^th grade must take two “rounds” of computerized assessment exams in math and reading, one at the beginning of the year to measure their initial level, and one near the end of the year to measure their progress. We use Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Reading and Math Assesments, a Rennaissance Learning product; you can learn more by clicking here.  The STAR Diagnostic Reports provide important information about the students’ performance in math and reading. For example, the Grade Equivalent (GE) score shows us their functional grade level based on their results, and the national Percentile Rank (PR) compares the student's score to a national sample. The reports also predict what the students already know, what they should be working on, and offer tangible objectives for each subject.  

A new policy that we enacted this year is not matching students with tutors until they have taken their first round of mandatory computerized assessment tests.  This increases program accountability, because we ensure without exception that all students are tested (i.e. are following program procedures). This policy also improves the overall quality of the tutoring sessions; the aforementioned data allows our tutors to be more effective and intentional. For example, a couple of weeks ago, Emely's tutor Carla approached us asking for 6^th grade workbooks as opposed to the 5^th grade ones she received on the first day.  Conversely, some students  unfortunately perform well below their actual grade level, especially in reading.  Without their test results, tutors might plan lessons that exceed their current capabilities, which would be confounding and demoralizing for both student and tutor alike. 

Weekly Lesson Plans

To continue building on student progress each week, we have also started collecting weekly lesson plans. We have wanted to do this for a while, and are pleased with the results. We believe that the lesson plans have helped structure the tutoring sessions. The tutors, by default, must be more cognizant of their students’ strengths and weaknesses, and consciously tailor the sessions to meet their needs. We have already seen the positive results of both policies, which seem to supplement one another. Now, all “categories” of students will get the most out of their sessions.

What’s not working so well:
Not enough time, not enough tutors!

We were pleased that the majority of the 130 students registered were able to complete their assessment exams during orientation, which made things a lot easier! However, we have found that one of our greatest difficulties so far has been coordinating times for the students to come in and take the assessment exams.  Unfortunately, most of the parents work during the week, and we have a 9 to 5 office schedule. We have had to turn away several familiar faces because they have not been able to make it in for testing. We care about all of our students and their families and it hurts us think that we are in a sense “denying” them of academic support and upsetting their parents, but we also need to follow procedures. A major question we have been grappling with is: how can we best serve the most people and ensure client satisfaction without compromising our standards or making “special exceptions?”

All things considered, our biggest issue this year has been a lack of Permanent Tutors.  The consequences of this were all too clear on the first day of Tutoring, or “Tutor-Student Match-Up Day” on Saturday, September 8^th. While we developed an improved system to optimize the complex match-up process, we found that the morning was still a bit chaotic, because we simply ran out of tutors! It was hard to look the students and their families in the face and tell them that they do not yet have a tutor, while some of their peers had already been matched. It has also been difficult “waitlisting” other families who really need these services.  The hallmark of the LSF Tutoring Program is individualized tutoring. We have found that the one-on-one relationship throughout the school year (and oftentimes, many school years) yields the best results. Therefore, our goal is for each one of our students to have a consistent, Permanent Tutor, and we just do not have those resources right now, although we have been recruiting heavily! We are so grateful for all of our tutors, who come in by their own volition, giving up their Saturday mornings to improve the lives of children in need.  We just need more!  Two major questions we hope to answer are: what is the best way to recruit more tutors, and how can we motivate them to volunteer consistently despite their hectic schedules? 

If you or anyone you know is interested in tutoring with the Latino Student Fund, please click here to register, and click here to access the 2012/2013 Tutoring Program Calendar. Have any thoughts? Just comment below, we would love to hear your input! 

Until next time!