| HHF, in partnership with AT&T and the American School Counselors Association to launch MiMentors during a special reception on Capitol Hill. The event will feature the release of a study conducted by NRCCUA on the need for additional guidance and mentoring for Latino students plus a panel of experts addressing solutions to the Latino achievement gap. The Reception is to be held: April 2, 2009 10:30am- 12:00pm 1302 Longworth House Office Building Agriculture Committee Room Washington, DC 20515 RSVP: roberto@hispanicheritage.org MiMentors aims to raise Latino high school graduation and college attendance rates by providing support to high school guidance counselors. Despite the ratio of students to guidance counselors in some states being more than 900 to 1, and even more dramatic in areas with dense Latino populations, the shortage of guidance counselors has not been prominent in the dialogue surrounding the Latino achievement gap. In an effort to meet the unique needs of Latino students socially, academically and culturally, the MiMentors program was built on the shoulders of the Foundation's long-established youth programs including the Youth Awards, Speakers Bureau and LOFT (Latinos On Fast Track). Participating Mentors have been selected from HHF's network of accomplished young leaders who are currently attending college, and the program uses a "near peer" model to provide a strong connection and sense of credibility with the high school students. Mentors will run weekly group sessions called "Charlas" to engage the students on various topics designed to provide a four-year-path to graduation and college attendance. Periodic surveys will be completed by counselors, teachers, Mentors and students to identify improvement. The program is currently being piloted in San Francisco, Houston, New York, Miami and Greater Washington, DC. In an effort to serve a broader scope of students, anticipated expansion will allow for the participation of additional schools across the nation. To read the official Press release, click here. |
