| Spring 2020 Edition
Dear students, families, and friends,
We hope that everyone is staying safe and healthy, while remaining vigilant during these challenging times. LNESC staff continue to work on providing educational resources to our students, while exploring creative and innovative approaches to virtual learning and online education opportunities.
In this edition of The LatinEd Connection, we are including previous segments such as “Que Pasa” that shows scholarship and event updates, “Lideres in Action” that spotlight’s LNESC alum Ensign Lucian Rombado with the U. S. Navy, and “College Cues” and the “Parent Forum” that provides tips and information in areas of education. An exciting addition is the “LNESC in the Field”, where we will showcase activities and impacts of our local service centers on the ground, as they are the heart of the important work of LNESC.
Be sure to stay indoors, wash those hands and take every precaution if you need to leave home. Remember, we are all one local/national/global community linked by our humanity as we look to take care of our families, friends and neighbors. We’re all in this together!
Warm Regards,
LNESC National Office
Que Pasa: Updates and Happenings at LNESC
LNESC Education Breakfast
Due to the health crisis surrounding COVID-19, the LNESC Education Breakfast that was to be held on July 3rd, 2020 will be postponed. The event will be rescheduled for July 2021. More details to come at a later date.
Macy's Emergency Scholarship Fund
The Macy's Emergency Scholarship Fund is a joint partnership between LNESC & Macy's to provide financial resources to deserving students facing economic hardship and immediate monetary need that, if not met, could result in an inability to complete classes or a degree program. For more information, click here.
For additional non-LNESC scholarship resources, click here.
LULAC National Scholarship Fund
The LNSF application deadline is April 30th.
For more information, click here.
#GivingTuesdayNow
The global movement of philanthropy known as Giving Tuesday has recently announced #GivingTuesdayNow in response to the urgent needs as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis. LNESC will be participating through an outreach campaign to draw support for the education programs and leadership initiatives we provide through our local service centers. Together we can continue making an impact on the Latino/a community. Please consider contributing any amount to LNESC. Your donation would be most appreciated!
LNESC in the Field
LNESC Albuquerque
 LNESC Albuquerque Upward Bound students spent their March Saturday Academy participating in the New Mexico Youth Celebrate Diversity Conference (NMYCD). High School students from all across New Mexico came out to CNM Main Campus to learn about and discuss a variety of social justice topics. Each workshop covered a different social justice topic that was selected by New Mexican teens such as homelessness, LGBTQ, suicide prevention, male privilege, the meaning of the Zia symbol and much more.
The conference was a great opportunity for all the students and adults that were able to attend. It was set up as a structured safe space for New Mexican youth to ask questions and learn about the vast amount of diversity right in their backyards.
For more information visit the LNESC Albuquerque Center website.
LNESC Austin
LNESC Austin recently assisted students apply for the City of Austin paid internship program. The city's Youth & Family Services department offers four different types of internships that focus on STEM careers, communication-based careers, city government/leadership careers, and aviation careers. This activity-filled week included a mock interview workshop for students to practice their interviewing skills by learning to receive feedback, focusing on the breadth of their knowledge, be cautious of filler words, and speaking eloquently.
Two outstanding students from Akins Early College High School, Gaby and Kayla have been selected for the internship program this summer.
 
For more information visit the LNESC Austin Center website.
LNESC Vancouver
LNESC Vancouver Upward Bound partnered with HAPO Community Credit Union to provide participants with financial information through a "Reality Fair". Participants had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of financial literacy. in addition to the fair, a career panel was conducted for which professionals from the local branch shared their education and career experiences with students.
For more information visit the LNESC Vancouver website.
Lideres in Action: Rising Stars of LNESC
 Every year, the ExxonMobil Engineering Scholarship program awards outstanding Hispanic high school seniors who plan to pursue a degree in engineering at U.S. post-secondary institutions. Recently, we had the opportunity to connect with Ensign Lucian Rombado, United States Navy, a 2015 ExxonMobil Engineering Scholarship recipient who received his commission from the U.S. Naval Academy in May 2019. He is currently qualifying as a cryptologic warfare officer at Navy Information Operations Command, Georgia.
Lucian successfully received his Bachelor of Science in Cyber Operations and pursued a variety of cultural and academic opportunities while studying. He studied abroad in Shanghai, China and gained work experience at the National Security Agency and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. LNESC and ExxonMobil are proud to have provided Lucian with the support that he needed to pursue diverse experiences that equipped him with a real-world understanding of cybersecurity issues and led him to his current role.
"The LNESC team's generosity allowed me to achieve my long time goal of graduating from the Naval Academy, and I am incredibly thankful for their continued support for young men and women as they pursue their academic and career goals."
- Ensign Lucian Rombado, United States Navy
ExxonMobil/LNESC Scholarship Recipient, 2015
Read more about Lucian and his journey as one of LNESC Scholarship recipients on the LNESC website.
College Cues: Tips for Student Readiness
How To Pick A College During A Global Pandemic
In a normal year, applicants typically weigh their options, take campus tours, visit the financial aid office. However, this is not a normal year. However, with the right attitude and strategy, students can make an informed college choice.
Be virtually resourceful!
Universities have started to delay their deadlines for students to accept offers of admission, with some moving the deadline from May 1 to June 1. The group Admission Counselors Cultivating Equity and Peace Today (ACCEPT) has begun to crowdsource a Google doc to track which schools are changing their deadlines.
Additionally, Green Apple College Guidance & Education has started a crowdsourced list of virtual admission programs and webinars and individual schools are also pushing out their events directly to students.
Ignore commercial rankings
Approach your college choice as a search for the school where you can have the best experience, with the realization that there will be aspects that you might not like.
Sienna College’s guide How to choose a college during the Coronavirus Crisis offers insights on creating your own personalized ranking system!
Look at how Colleges are reacting to current events
Go to your top choices’ websites and social platforms and read up on how they are responding to COVID-19. Are they doing their civic duty? Are they perpetuating fear to communicate their stance—or do their words convey compassion and support?
For more information check out Forbes article, The COVID College Choice: How To Pick A College During A Global Pandemic.
Parent Forum: Strategies for Student Success
Helping Your High School Senior Cope with Coronavirus
Parents of college-bound students do of course need to pay attention to future funds, but more importantly, with current events, it is vital that you support your graduate more than ever!
Support your Child in making a College Choice
Choosing a college is an exciting but stressful process for many teens. Parents should try to be understanding instead of adding more stress by pressuring their child. One of the best things you can do for your child is to show them that you believe in their ability to make a good decision.
For more information take a look at U.S. News 10 Ways to Help Your Teen With the College Decision.
Get creative
No, you cannot hold your child’s prom in your backyard but there are some creative ways to try to make the next few months a little more bearable. For example, you could hold a mini graduation in your home or backyard and use Zoom or FaceTime.
For more ideas check out Lifehacker’s piece: How to Help Your High School Senior Cope With Having Their Year Cut Short
Happy Earth Day from LNESC!
 How do you celebrate the environment while staying home to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus?
Check out the Earth Day Network
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with its first ever Digital Earth Day on April 22.
Ideas for Earth Day at Home
Check out City of Oakland’s list of environmental educational resources to help sustain and support learning from home!
Earth Day Movies to Watch with the Family
While being asked to stay indoors, grab some popcorn, pick a movie from Redbooks list of Awesome Earth Day Movies to Watch With Your Kids and sit back and take in one of these films this Earth Day.
Census 2020: Power in the Numbers
The Census Bureau has extended the final deadline for finishing the count to mid-August 2020. Make sure you and your family gets counted!
How the Census affects children and students
Your participation in the 2020 Census has a massive effect on schools and education in general with a large influence on resources and certain programs. The 2020 Census count impacts the federal funds that communities receive each year for programs and services that are critical for schools, students, and younger children.
To learn more, read about Why 2020 Matters for Schools according to the Census Bureau.
How the Census affects the future of your Community
Census results affect your community every day. The results of the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities every year for the next decade. This includes plans for highways, support for natural disasters, housing assistance, restoring wildlife, the list is endless!
To learn more, check out the Census Bureau website on Community Impact.
About LNESC
 The LULAC National Educational Service Centers, Inc. (LNESC) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit agency whose mission is to provide the highest quality educational opportunities needed for the development of life-long learners and leaders.
As LULAC's education arm, since 1973 LNESC has provided direct educational services to under-served communities throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, serving more than 14,000 students each year. Our educational programs break down the barriers that exist between high-need students and high school diplomas, college degrees, and jobs in highly skilled fields.
Through its network of community-based education centers, LNESC provides educational counseling, scholarships, mentorship, leadership development, literacy, and technology programs.
For more information go to www.lnesc.org.
For the LNESC staff directory click here. |
