In its second year at 91制片厂 Valley College, the Juventud Rising Student Summit 鈥� Ra铆ces y Alas: Empowering Our Future 鈥� drew approximately 230 attendees for a day devoted to celebrating students鈥� heritage while empowering them to soar higher. In English, 鈥渞a铆ces y alas,鈥� means roots and wings.
Organized by WVC Outreach, the event was created to encourage Latino/a/x high school students and their families to see themselves as future leaders for whom college is an option, explained Outreach Director Leo Villalobos.
鈥淲e wanted to build a sense of community, connect them to resources, and show them they belong in higher education,鈥� he said.
Participants chose from seven workshops covering subjects such as 鈥淵our Path to Success: Transferring from a California Community College鈥� and 鈥淚nvest in Your Future: The Economic Advantage of a College Degree.鈥� Other sessions introduced attendees to the WVC Entrepreneurship Center and Careers in Healthcare as well as offered how-to discussions about financial aid and the application process. The event concluded with lunch and a campus tour.
Given the event鈥檚 growth and positive reception, plans call for the yearly continuation of Juventud Rising, as budgets allows.