Historic Partnership To Improve Educational Achievement For Latinos.

The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USHCC Foundation) announced that it will join forces with the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans and other leading Hispanic organizations, corporate leaders and national private entities to improve the educational achievement of Hispanic youth. The USHCC Foundation will focus on empowering the Hispanic business community to take a stake in the education of Latinos.

According to the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, one of every three Hispanic students fails to complete high school and only 10 percent of Hispanics graduate from four-year colleges and universities.

This comprehensive effort, known as Partners in Hispanic Education–officially unveiled today at the National Press Club in
Washington, D.C.–also includes MANA, a National Latina Organization; Girl Scouts of the USA; the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU); National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP); State Farm Insurance Companies; IQ Solutions; League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR); United States Army; and the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP). The USHCC Foundation will house and provide leadership support for this partnership.

“Through this historic partnership, the USHCC Foundation will work with others to educate and inform corporations, small businesses, community organizations and private foundations about the benefit and importance of participating in the education of our nation’s Latino children and young adults,” said Frank Lopez, USHCC Foundation Executive Director. “This is a significant step in ensuring that the business world plays an integral role in education reform, and we are proud to be the partner member to house and provide leadership support for this historic education collaboration effort.”

George Herrera, USHCC President & CEO, added: “This partnership demonstrates a solid commitment by the USHCC Foundation, and the other partnering organizations, to ensure Latino students attain the right skills they need to succeed in today’s competitive world.”

The goal of Partners in Hispanic Education is to empower the Hispanic American community by equipping families with educational tools and informational resources that are provided under the No Child Left Behind program, as well as through a wide range of education reform efforts adopted by localities and states across the country. Through these many tools and reform efforts, this partnership will help Hispanic families become stronger advocates for their children’s education from early childhood to college completion. The partners will work with local communities to reinforce positive expectations that include educational excellence, academic attainment, parental involvement and awareness, academic preparation, mentorship, engagement of the business community, accountability and enrollment in college.

To accomplish these goals, partnership participants have committed to host education programs in six pilot cities over the next several months. Each will involve a series of events including town hall meetings, educational workshops for parents, youth entrepreneurship training for students, local collaboration development strategies for educators, business and community leaders, and a seminar on student financial aid and scholarships.

The first series of events are scheduled for October 18, 2003 in San Diego, Calif. Additional pilot cities include Miami, Fla.; El Paso, Texas; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Tucson, Arizona; Detroit, Mich.; and the Bronx, New York.

The USHCC Foundation is committed to the purpose of giving Latino youth alternatives for life preparation and life-long learning by developing and implementing initiatives and educational campaigns to awaken and nurture the entrepreneurship spirit. The Foundation will leverage corporate and public support to ensure that Latino youth gain access and achieve success in the world of business. More information about the USHCC Foundation and the USHCC is available at
http://www.ushcc.com.