Education

"A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste." How true!
For years, this commercial from the United Negro College Fund, hammered into my ears and the ears of many New Yorkers. It was played over and over, on television stations over 15 years ago. To learn is to succeed, take the challenge!

There have been numerous commercials and public awareness programs targeting our most fragile population, our children. Today, as forty years ago when I arrived in this great nation, the problem existed and it has become a contagious epidemic. 

Notwithstanding the fact that there are a few Hispanic entities dealing with the issue of school drop out, the renunciation affliction within the Hispanic student population keeps increasing. The reason? We at Latin Women in Action, Inc., believe the time has arrived to develop our own demonstration project of reaching out to our school children. The answer? The parents. 

Although Hispanics have a very strong sense of family values, the value of education does not rank very high in our every day lives in this nation. While in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries the high school graduation rate is high, the opposite occurs in this country. Hispanic drop out rate is 38%. Currently, only 53.1 percent of Hispanics have a high school diploma and those who go to college comprise only 28% of total undergraduate students. Yes, most parents wish their children attend school and get a good education. Yes, most parents perform hard labor to provide the child with the accessories necessary to remain in school. But... Are they willing to attend PTA meetings, are they agreeable to remain at home and help their children with their homework? Are they amenable to go out and boycott for injustices in education, to partake in community school elections, to accept challenges for their children's educational future goals? Can they endure the journey of these challenges? The answer? I THINK NOT.

The fact is most Hispanic parents arrived in this country in search of a better life. The vast majority achieved a low educational level. Although some could help their children with homework, their first barrier is the language and second their lack of education. Another factor is the dearth of time. The majority work day and night. Hispanic women face a phenomenon of representing themselves as heads of household and being the sole breadwinner contrary to Latin American countries where the woman stays home. Thus upon arriving home after an arduous work day, there is very little time to spend with the children. Hispanic working women have to content with further tasks of a husband/companion to whom they respond to, in addition to the overall obligation of home chores. If there is a man in the family structure, he commands more time for himself than the time he invests in assisting the wife/partner. The end result? The child is left to learn by her/himself. The outcome, solitude, desertion, the streets, abandonment, abuse, peers and the everlasting lifestyle of teenage pregnancy. A child becoming a parent.

We at Latin Women in Action, would like to paint the truth with pink roses and pretend it doesn't exist but we rather face reality.

So what are we trying to do in Education?

We are trying to say to Hispanic parents, "Look at your challenges!" You may have arrived from a very poor country and are trying to fit in. "What do you give up in exchange? Your child's future. By trying to live up to society's expectations of daily attire, embellishing the home with material commodities, why not develop the cognitive capacity to deal with our children's future educational goals?". Why not learn to adjust by sacrificing ourselves for some years while allowing our children the compelling opportunity to succeed. They way we live and behave is expensive. No wonder this society has discovered Hispanics' as a "BUYING POWER". Can we change this behavior? Of course we can but does our community have the will power and can this society afford it? Maybe not.

Let's look at what society loses if Hispanics were to be different. For one, they would lose the billions of dollars in food and clothing which latinos contribute to the economic stability of this nation. What do we get in return? Let's see... We have the lowest per capita income in this nation, we have the highest school drop out in the country, (38%). Hispanics have the lowest paying jobs, the lowest percentage of people with medical benefits. I could continue and demonstrate the lowest in everything. What would we gain? We definitely would gain self-esteem. The outcome:? Development of fortitude, empowerment, leadership, conviction, commitment to the values that are so ingrained in our culture for family, respect, love and happiness. 

So what can you do with us about education?

We are trying to reach out to those who can join us in searching for answers to our children's educational future. We need to establish PSA's specifically targeted to Hispanics. There are hundreds of Spanish broadcasting radio stations throughout the nation, there are many television stations, cable, abundance of newspapers, weekly and monthly magazines and the whole gamut of communication resources at out disposal. 

What are we lacking? Of course we are lacking the money from Corporate America to do this. We also need the funds from the thousands of foundations which only contribute about 2% to Hispanic non-profits. What other necessities do we have? Oh yes, most important. We need you, the Hispanic member of society. If you do not believe what we delineated above, we are doomed. It is necessary for the parent, friend, the donor, the colleague, the single, married, divorced, widow, neighbor, the media, community, the church and country to come together and accept that unless we change our lifestyle, our children will have no future.

If you believe, believe that we must come together in creating an agenda for change. For change from within for a legitimate progressive, cognitive lifespan.

How can we help? By contacting us. 

Latin Women in Action has established a fund for the purpose of developing television commercials, a radio and newspaper campaign about the Hispanic school drop out pandemic and methods to educate parents about their need for involvement in their children's education. It is everyone's responsibility. We need your commitment.

If they fail, you fail. If they change, it will be your blessing.

Links

http://www.hsf.net 
Hispanic Scholarship Fund

http://mapping-yourfuture.org  
Information to help you plan your career, select a school, and pay for your education.

http://LatinoCollegeExpo.org  
The Latino College Expo fosters the educational goals of New York City high school students of Latino heritage.

http://www.onlinecollegefair.com  
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), this free online service assists students and parents in the college search and admission process.

http://www.aicpa.org/index.htm 
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The national professional association for CPAs in the United States.

http://www.hacu.net 
Provides the history, mission, and contact information for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.

http://www.sciencewise.com/molis 
Provides information services and resource assistance for Hispanic Serving Institutions and Black Colleges and Universities and financial aid information for minority students. 

http://www.HispanicOutlook.com 
Subscription information for one of this country's chief publications re: Latino issues in colleges and universities. links to: colleges and higher education as well as policy issues. 

http://www.act.org  
The American College Testing Program.

http://www.collegeboard.org  
The College Board Online provides updates on standardized college tests, general test information and even sample test questions.

http://www.finaid.org 
The Financial Aid Information Page, a free, comprehensive, independent, and objective guide to student financial aid. 

http://www.cashe.com 
CASHE (College Aid Sources for Higher Education) a free scholarship service to help students pay for their education. It is one of the most comprehensive, oldest and most respected services available to students.

http://www.collegenet.com 
Apply to college online using a CollegeNET account (and your credit card). The site also includes a scholarship search engine.

http://www.educaid.org 
paid premium loan service, but its website is full of educational information regarding the student financial aid process including a glossary of terms related to financial aid. Access to the website is free.

http://www.fastweb.com 
Is a search service connecting students with scholarship information.

http://www.freschinfo.com 
Over 1,900 organizations offering over 147,700 scholarship awards, plus - advise, tips, suggestions, discussion forums, success stories.

http://www.HispanicScholarship.com  
Over 700 scholarships HispanicScholarship.com one of the most comprehensive Web sites for students and parents searching for financial aid for college.

http://www.hisp.com 
The companion forum to Hispanic Online on America Online, ranks top among the leading on-line site for Latinos living in the U.S, offering almost two dozen chat rooms and a job bank database; the Cyber Career Center. Got AOL? Check out HISPANIC Online at keyword "Latino."

http://www.alpha-phi-lambda.org 
Alpha Psi Lambda is a coeducational Hispanic interest college fraternity with the goal of service to the Latino community.

http://www.eecs.tufts.edu/~wvargas/anim.html 
Alpha Rho Lambda is a Latina interest sorority with three chapters and looking to expand nation-wide. The organization concentrates on service to the Latino community as well as developing a social and academic support network for its members.

http://www.lpiu.com 
The Sorority believes that the woman is the foundation of society. Through support, service, sisterhood and education, a strong woman rises to be a prominent leader in the community.

http://www.omegadeltaphi.com  
A service/social fraternity, dedicated to the need and concerns of the Hispanic community. Promotes and maintain the traditional values of unity, honesty, integrity, and leadership.

http://www.uga.edu/msp 
The Minority Services and Program (MSP) Office is a educational organization at the University of Georgia which serves minority students.

http://findjob.hisp.com 
Access a comprehensive list of outstanding job opportunities. Find your dream job (location, salary, job type and keywords) and apply online. It's free, confidential and easy to use! Set up a Personal Search Agent (SM.) Submit your ideal job profile and automatically receive daily e-mail notifications of new postings that meet your search criteria. Think of your Personal Search Agent as your own career search assistant. This service is free and confidential!

http://www.minorities-jb.com 
The Minorities' Job Bank's searchable databases, on-line job fairs, and career guides can offer readers practical advice in fulfilling their personal and career goals. We also help diversity-committed employers ensure that qualified job candidates area aware of their position openings. Even better, it's FREE.