NEW YORK — The College Board will convene educators and experts from across the country at its annual Prepárate™: Educating Latinos for the Future of America conference on March 1 and 2 at the Hilton La Jolla, Torrey Pines in San Diego, Calif.
"Latinos are one of the fastest-growing student populations in the country, yet they remain vastly underrepresented in higher education," said Peter Negroni, senior vice president of Relationship Development at the College Board. "At Prepárate, we will explore new and better ways to ensure that all Latino students have the resources and support to be successful in college."
Attendees will focus on the pressing issues affecting Latino student outcomes and the transition to higher education. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana will add her voice to the discussion in an address on Monday, March 1, at noon.
For the first time, the conference will present a series of STEM workshops in cooperation with the National Association for Hispanic Education to disseminate effective strategies for recruiting and supporting Hispanics in advanced mathematics and science classes. A variety of other workshops will focus on parental engagement, increasing academic rigor and strategies to connect more students to college success. Still others — such as "Bridging the Language Barrier: Uniting Campus Communities Through Fine Arts," which models a dual-language theater production — demonstrate the value of empowering students to use their own voices and cultures as resources for academic success.
Special Events
Renowned entertainment and education personalities will contribute to the dialogue, including:
- Award-winning actor and arts activist Tony Plana, cast member of Ugly Betty and founder of the East LA Classic Theatre, will talk about the unique role the arts can play in helping students succeed. ("Teaching Our Teachers: The Power of Theater in the Classroom," March 1, 8:45–10 a.m.)
- Stand-up comedian Bill Santiago, author of Pardon My Spanglish, will share his humorous look at the interplay of English and Spanish and how it's shaping our culture. (March 1, evening)
Keynote Speakers
- Ana "Cha" Guzmán, president of Palo Alto College and a leading voice for Hispanic Americans in education, will discuss "Increasing Transfer Through Institutional Commitment." (March 2, 9:30–10:45 a.m.)
- Patricia Gándara, a professor in the Graduate School of Education and co-director of the Civil Rights Project at University of California, Los Angeles, will focus on "The Latino Education Crisis." (March 2, 12:30–1:45 p.m.)
Special Panel on Undocumented Students: "E Pluribus Unum; What Are Our Nation's Responsibilities?"(March 2, 3:30–4:45 p.m.)
- Roberto G. Gonzales, assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Social Work
- Rosa Pérez, chancellor of the San José/Evergreen Community College District
- Alejandra Rincón, author of Undocumented Immigrants and Higher Education: Sí Se Puede!
Educators will present real-world solutions in more than 40 sessions that address issues such as:
- The role of parents in fostering a college-going culture at home
- Developing a college-going culture in schools
- Forging effective P–20 partnerships
- Sharing strategies for engaging all Latino students — from high need to high achieving
- Furthering initiatives for undocumented students
As part of the College Board's continuing support of undocumented students and the DREAM Act, there will be several sessions with stimulating discussion from youth and experts, including a presentation from the student movement One Dream 2009 and the screening of the movie Papers. (March 2, 3:30–4:45 and 5–7 p.m., respectively)
The College Board
The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board is composed of more than 5,700 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges through major programs and services in college readiness, college admission, guidance, assessment, financial aid and enrollment. Among its widely recognized programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®), SpringBoard® and ACCUPLACER®. The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities and concerns. For more information visit www.collegeboard.com.
All sessions are open to the media. Visit www.collegeboard.com/preparate/ to learn more. To arrange interviews, please contact the College Board Press Office; contact information is below.
Contact
María de los Ángeles Corral, The College Board, (212) 713-8052, saladeprensa@collegeboard.com