Create college opportunities for Latino students

It has been an exciting month of March! Our SLI high school students have experienced some wonderful learning, leadership and service opportunities that will no doubt help them in their journey towards college.

• Students met at Eastern Mennonite University’s Studio Theatre where they learned from member of the Inside/Out Playback Theatre to use theatre to express their stressors and anxieties. 
• Several seniors participated in JMU’s 12th Annual Diversity Conference by presenting a professional panel discussion of best practices for recruiting and retaining Hispanic students.

• A Spring Leadership Retreat was held at Bridgewater College. The retreat was organized by SLI college mentor and Bridgewater College senior, Jasmine Guardarrama, and hosted by Bridgewater College’s Office of Admissions.
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  In SLI alumni news, Lupe Zarate (Class of 2017) completed 10 hour training to be certified as mental health first aid provider. Alicia Garcia (Class of 2017) received a scholarship from the Virginia Latino Higher Education Network (VALHEN) so that she can continue her studies at Blue Ridge Community College. Maria Cardoso (Class of 2017) has been admitted into the nursing program at Eastern Mennonite University.

While all our high school seniors of the Class of 2018 have received admittance notifications from the colleges that they have applied to, and some have learned of financial aid packages they may be eligible to receive. Unfortunately, a number of students will not be eligible to receive support through federal financial aid because of matters pertaining to their parents’ residency status. This is where our SLI Scholar College Award and SLI Computer Awards help fill a seemingly impossible void.

In our next report, we’ll announce where some of our students will be attending so that we can continue to follow their dream quest. 

Best regards!

~ Carlos Aleman

In the fall of 2012, three Latino students enrolled at Harrisonburg High School began a journey toward college set by the Shenandoah Valley Scholars’ Latino Initiative (SLI). Five years later, SLI has grown to help 60 such under-resourced students, grades 10-12, to realize their college dreams. We currently work with 24 students enrolled at Harrisonburg High, and 16 at Winchester’s John Handley High School.

 At Harrisonburg alone, three cohorts of SLI students—11 students total—have graduated with their high school diploma. Two students have already earned their A.A. degree from Blue Ridge Community College, and one student has earned her B.A. from George Mason University. Others are successfully completing studies at Blue Ridge Community College, Eastern Mennonite University, Bridgewater College, and James Madison University.

In addition to divides in cultural and socioeconomic status, one of the biggest obstacles these students experience on college campuses is reliable and continuous access to computers. Thanks to your support, high school graduates received a SLI Computing Award ($1000) toward the purchase of a new laptop computer suitable for their area of study. Moreover, students who enrolled in a 2- or 4-year college received a one-time SLI College Award. These awards ranged from $4000-5000, depending on student merit and their situation of unmet financial support.

The high school seniors of the Class of 2018 are currently applying for college admission. SLI has committed to providing SLI Computer and SLI College Awards to at least 12 students. During their 3-year membership, SLI has supported these students through:

• A socially supportive environment of high expectations, academic rigor, and compassion.
• Tuition support to enroll in college equivalent courses while still in high school.
• In-school advising and assistance with coursework and college applications by high school teachers who serve as SLI High School Program Coordinators.
• SLI Early College Seminar led by a university professor. This out-of-school program meets twice per month to focus on the writing, critical thinking, and communication skills needed to excel in the college classroom. 
• On-site college experiences. High school students meet up with college student mentors and professors to visit campuses and sit in on classes. The experiences provide students with a better understanding of learning and support opportunities available on campuses.
• Coordinated service with local non-profit organizations. SLI students complete 100 hours of service, leadership, and mentorship development annually. A student will complete at least 300 recorded hours of development by the time they graduate from high school.
• Supportive letters of recommendation for college admission and scholarship applications.

Your contributions to the Shenandoah Valley Scholars’ Latino Initiative helps us to serve these students of Harrisonburg and Winchester, to support their college dreams, and to invest in leadership and betterment in our communities. We thank you for your financial support, and welcome your willingness to support our mentorship. 

Links:

• Come take a look at a few student stories!