Engaging the Talents of Latino Students for Higher Education
The United States has understood the great need to improve Latino college completion in order to retain international competitiveness. For that reason, Excelencia in Education released 50 separate research-based fact sheets detailing current status of college among Latinos in each state.
The expectation is that state, institutional, and community leaders across America will be empowered to use state information to engage the talents of Latino students and advance student success in higher education to make the states and our country stronger. Each fact sheet includes state-level data on the population, representation among K through 12 students, educational attainment of adults, multiple measures of equity gaps in degree attainment, and examples of promising practices across the country for improving Latino college completion.
To access the factsheets, click here. For the complete article, Excelencia in Education releases new research on Latino college completion in each of 50 states to inform action, and information on the trends that emerged from Excelencia’s research, please click here.
Our Children Deserve the Best
On Thursday, April 19, the Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, announced that they are releasing funding opportunities for 97 Head Start service areas across the country.
HHS has implemented new regulations and criteria to ensure that programs are providing the highest quality services to children and families by mandating that Head Start grantees that fail to meet rigorous quality benchmarks compete for continued federal funding.
Yvette Sanchez Fuentes, director of the Office of Head Start, said the first goal of Head Start is to “put our nation’s low-income children on a road to school readiness. We’re keeping our commitment to America’s children and holding programs accountable for their services. Our children deserve the best early education services today in order to be the leaders of tomorrow.”
The funding opportunity announcements will be released in two groups. Grantees were placed into each group based on the month their program year funding begins. This process will allow for planning transitions at natural breaks in services, minimizing disruptions to children, families and staff. Funding opportunity announcements for the first group of service areas are currently open to all eligible organizations available and applicants have 90 days to submit their Head Start grant proposals online through www.Grants.gov. An additional 100 funding opportunity announcements for the second group will be available in May.
This is a great opportunity for organizations that target our Hispanic communities to apply and compete for this available funding in order to make a greater impact in the lives of our Hispanic children and families.
For more information on the Office of Head Start visit http://transition.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs or log onto Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center at http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc. HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
Become A Grant Reviewer
Government agencies continue to seek eligible individuals to serve as grant reviewers to evaluate funding applications. Grant reviewers are selected for their expertise in a given area, and work with other members of a panel to produce thorough and comprehensive evaluations of grant proposals.
Not only does this service benefit government agencies, it allows panel members to gain an understanding of grant preparation and the award process.
Department of Education
DOE’s Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) is seeking individuals to serve as peer reviewers for the FY 2012 Investing in Innovation grant competition. The link below provides information on applying. All applications must be received by Wednesday, March 21, 2012 to be considered for the 2012 competition.
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/prw.do
Administration for Children & Families: Children’s Bureau
ACF’s Children’s Bureau is building a diverse, national pool of peer reviewers to participate in the title IV-E foster care eligibility reviews (on-site reviews of state child welfare agencies). Selected peer reviewers will serve as members of teams comprising federal and state agency staff.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/general_info/iv-e_con-recruit.htm
Administration for Children & Families: Head Start
ACF’s Office of Head Start continues to seek eligible candidates to serve on peer review panels. Although February 27 was the initial deadline for 2012 reviewer applications, officials there say they continue to assess applications for expertise applicable to various grant requests.
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/dr/grant_reviewers.html
NAHF Letter to Acting Assistant Secretary George Sheldon, Administration for Children and Families
Download National Alliance for Hispanic Families’ letter to Acting Assistant Secretary George Sheldon, Administration for Children and Families by clicking here.
Cecilia Muñoz Appointed To New White House Post
by Lorena Gonzalez
The National Alliance for Hispanic Families congratulates Ceclia Muñoz on her new post as Director of President Obama’s Domestic Policy Council. Ms. Muñoz has served as the White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and has been at the forefront of the President’s effort to reform the nation’s immigration policies. President Obama applauds her for doing an “extraordinary job working on behalf of middle class families.”
While we know Ms. Muñoz will serve all Americans in her new position, we are thankful to know she understands the unique and acute struggles and challenges faced by our Latino community. Her job will not be easy, but we look forward to supporting her, and wish her every success.
Click here to read the news story from the White House’s website.
Dr. Luis Zayas Takes New Post at The University of Texas at Austin
by Lorena Gonzalez
Our friend and colleague, Dr. Luis Zayas, joined The University of Texas at Austin last week as its new Dean of the School of Social Work. We wish him luck as he begins this new facet of his career. Dr. Zayas takes with him a fresh perspective on social work as well as a real understanding of the Latino community and its culture. He calls this new post the “highlight” of his career, and the University of Texas Provost, Steven Leslie, says his “appointment will bring great leadership and recognition to our School of Social Work and to the university.” The University of Texas at Austin is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System, and is ranked in the top 25 among American research universities.
Dr. Zayas will continue as the chairman of the NAHF research committee, where he has been able to confirm through his studies the importance of families within the Hispanic community. In recently published research on Latina suicide, for example, he offered a model for understanding and working with young Latinas and their families to reduce suicide attempts.
Dr. Zayas leaves the Washington University in St. Louis where he was the Shanti K. Khinduka Distinguished Professor of Social Work at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work and professor of psychiatry in the School of Medicine, as well as the director of the Center for Latino Family Research.
Also, a note on funding opportunities from the Office of Head Start:
Upcoming Early Head Start and Head Start grant opportunities can now be found at by clicking here.
Traditions That Unite Families
by Lorena Gonzalez
Yesterday our family gathered in San Antonio for our annual Tamalada. Three generations of women, and a few men, made dozens of tamales in what has become one of our oldest Christmas traditions.
But we weren’t just making tamales. We shared information, learned from each other, told stories, and created memories. To our family, the meaning of the Tamalada extends far beyond food. This tradition unites us as a family.
Our long-held Latino traditions can build stronger relationships within our families and communities. At this time of year, our wish at NAHF is that all of you are gathering to unite your families through traditions passed down from generation to generation. Merry Christmas!
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Call For Ideas
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Forward Promise Call For Ideas deadline of December 23 is fast approaching. The organization is searching for ideas that help “young men of color” succeed in life, school, and work, and may encompass juvenile justice re-entry, mentoring, mental health, social/ emotional learning, masculinity, and faith-based approaches to empowering these young men.
Your ideas could help the organization shape its future grantmaking strategy. Those who participate in the Call for Ideas will have an opportunity to connect with others involved in the same work through the Forward Promise Forum. In addition, all registered participants will be invited to respond to a Call for Proposals to be issued by Forward Promise in early 2012.
Visit www.RWJF.org to review the Forward Promise guidelines and submit your ideas.
Los Angeles’ SEA Charter School Working To Help Families
Martin Bautista credits the family-focused structure of Soledad Enrichment Action (SEA) Charter School in Los Angeles with turning his life around and saving his family. Martin’s father was an alcoholic who rarely came home, and his mother struggled to put food on the table. As a teenager Martin got involved in gangs and drugs, was thrown out of two high schools and finally arrested. “I was considered to be a threat, and I wasn’t allowed to attend any school in the district.”
At the urging of his probation officer, Martin’s mother enrolled him at SEA Charter School which was created in 1972 by mothers from East Los Angeles whose sons had been killed by gang violence. The school provides a “last chance” opportunity for students who, because of behavioral or other issues, have exhausted all their public school options. While Martin reluctantly went to class, his mother also attended SEA’s 20-week parenting program and counselors and other support staff reached out to help his father overcome alcoholism. More than ten years later, Martin is still at the school, but now he is there as the school’s Director of Community Support Services.
The school’s success is built on the premise that to be successful in helping at-risk youth, the whole family must be involved. “It’s the whole structure around the child that is important, ” Martin explained. “We can work with a teenager all day at school to form new learning habits and attitudes, but if they go home to the same environment that is not improving alongside them, the odds of our students changing is minimal. But, if the whole family changes, our students stand a much greater chance of success.”
Currently there are 18 SEA education centers throughout Los Angeles County serving over 3000 youth and their families each year.
Click here to learn more about SEA Charter School.
NAHF Director Receives “Optimista” Award
NAHF Director Lorena Gonzalez was honored as one of four alumni inductees into the Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s Hall of Fame Monday at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. She received the “Optimista” award for achieving success through persistence in the face of adversity.
“You can do it,” are the four words Dr. Gonzalez’ father has repeated to her throughout her life – as a disenchanted highschooler, after her first attempt at college, and as a young mother working to complete three degrees, a BA, MA, and PhD.
Dr. Gonzalez’ parents came to this country seeking opportunity. Her father worked in the spinach fields, on the railroad, and at domestic jobs to ensure he could afford a life in the United States. After experiencing a devastating earthquake that nearly demolished his home, he moved his family to Texas to start over.
At the awards event, Dr. Gonzalez thanked her parents, who then received a standing ovation from the audience. “I can do it,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “We can do it. We need to serve our children with our hearts, our experiences, and with wisdom. It is only by educating that we prosper. Think about what you can offer.”
The other three 2011 alumni Hall of Fame inductees are Gary Trujillo, chairman and founder of Be A Leader Foundation, Brigida Benetez, Chief of the Office of Institutional Integrity at the Inter-American Development Bank, and Vincent Cordero, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Fox Deportes. U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios also was inducted as an honorary member.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund was founded in 1975, and is the nation’s leading organization working to address the barriers that keep many Latinos from earning a college degree. Its leaders have awarded over $360 million in scholarships to more than 52,000 students. The organization’s Alumni Hall of Fame is in its 10th year, and honors five Latinos annually whose stories, accomplishments, contributions, and lifetime challenges demonstrate the power of higher education.
To watch the HSF video of Lorena’s story, click here.
Pictured in Photo: Frank Alvarez (HSF President and CEO), Brigida Benitez, Vincent Cordero, Rosie Rios, Lorena Gonzalez, Gary Trujillo