Contents

Special Focus: Programs for Latino Youth
Rewards and Challenges of Growing Up Latina in America
"There Are Endless Opportunities to Become Whatever You Want in Life"
The Mysterious Education Gap
Live from Houston: VERB Links Youth to Recreational Activities
"Next Generation Talk" Radio Series Focuses on Border Teens
NIDA Tackles Teen Drug Abuse with Multimedia Materials
Parents, Teachers Join Forces to Promote Youth Mental Health
Children Flourish after School: A Literature Review
Spotlight on Potter Thomas Middle School North Star Program
Cash In on Federal Funding for Youth Programs
¡Arriba los Jovenes!: Southwest Youth Advocate for the Enviornment
La Columna Vertebral: Tennessee Welcomes Latino Students
And More...
Announcements
Internet Portal: Spanish-Language Resources for and about Youth
Contributors' Guidelines

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Rewards and Challenges of Growing Up Latina in America
By Daisy Veronica Ortega, SRF Student Fellow

More than once, I have thought about what it would have been like to grow up in Mexico, the country both my parents left at the young age of 14. My curiosity helped me look for and understand the reasons for my parents leaving their homeland. Their lifestyle and economic status at the time, as well as the opportunity for education or advancement, was slim to none. Leaving all that they knew and everyone they knew was extremely difficult. My parents, Maria and Jose Ortega arrived to Sunnyside, Washington in the spring of 1974. They met on the cherry fields they worked that same year and married almost five years later, in November of 1979, and gave birth to their first daughter.me, on September 3, 1980.

As a first generation Mexican-American, I was expected to attain the dreams my parents had at the time they chose to come to America. Achieving these goals and dreams has not been an easy task. Especially, being the first child - not to mention my being a woman - made things much more difficult. My father had a hard time accepting many of the things that come with success. His family values and morals are what made my growing up in America challenging. I have always respected my father's way of thinking, though there were many instances where I had to have someone of higher standing explain to my father why I had to take a school trip, or why I had to stay late working on a project, or why being involved in community services was important. Little endeavors such as these are what my father couldn't understand. He disagreed with my being out on the street for so long. He felt that a respectable young lady should be home by about 8:00 PM. Any later was pretty much defamatory to him and our household.

Language barriers between my parents and me have never been a problem. I grew up speaking Spanish and learned English when I began school at the age of 6. Language barriers at school were a bit different. Going through elementary school was difficult, because my teachers were able to translate very little for me, and the majority of the students didn't know what I was saying. At the time, I saw this as humiliating and challenging, though today I see it as a blessing because I had no choice but to learn English so that I could engage in activities with other students. I was determined that I would learn English in order to prevail at school and assist my parents when they needed a translator. By the third grade, I was speaking, reading, and writing English at the same level as the other students and, many times, better.

The experiences I have lived, the responsibilities I have had, and the skills I have acquired all contribute to what I have become today.a dedicated, ambitious, caring, and motivated young leader. My life has been filled with goals and dreams that slowly but surely I have made come true. Many of us have dreams, though there are very few who place any effort towards the dream becoming reality. The world unfortunately doesn't work this way, and since early childhood my parents instilled this with in me. There was not one time when my parents gave me something for nothing. Everything I ever received from them was earned through some type of effort. Just as all that I have accomplished, to date, has been earned with long nights of study and long days of hard work. Today, I am only one semester away from receiving my Bachelors in Business Administration and am extremely determined on attending law school. This obviously has made my parents' hard work and efforts to succeed well worth their troubles.

"There Are Endless Opportunities to Become Whatever You Want in Life."
By Julia Elizabeth Tapia, SRF Student Fellow

Hola, mi nombre es Julia Elizabeth Tapia. I am a senior at the University of New Mexico and will graduate May of 2005. I am majoring in Bilingual Education with an endorsement in ESL, and a minor in psychology. I was born in Chicago, Illinois and my parents are both Mexican immigrants who have worked in the United States to better the living conditions of our family. When my parents left Mexico, they left behind family, and physical possessions. However, they brought their dreams and the will to succeed in this great country of opportunities. I come from a non-traditional family of seven siblings. Only one of my brothers is currently attending college at Columbia University.

Funds in my home have always been an issue; there are not enough of them. When it came down to having money for college, there was not any saved. College was not something that my family had been planning for, or anticipated having to put away in order to pay for higher education. Since I am the first one to go to college, I have been the guinea pig, and have had to experience mistakes and falls first hand. Since I have had the experiences and know where to seek help, I now mentor my nieces, nephews, incoming high school students, and others who are also on their way to higher education. Even though there were no funds for me to continue my education, my mother has instilled in me that where there is a will, there is a way. There are endless opportunities to become whatever you want in life. With help of administrators and caring individuals at the University of New Mexico, I was able to obtain scholarships and was steered in the direction of financial aid and ways to receive tuition assistance. I was also given the opportunity to be part of an organization that supported my learning experiences and never even allowed me the thought of giving up. That organization was the Self Reliance Foundation. I have been a part of the SRF Student Fellows Program for almost five years now, and have grown tremendously as an individual. I have learned to give back to the community and have realized that we are powerful beyond our physical being.

"I bring who I am to the University of New Mexico, to my classrooms, and to my work. I am proud to be a Latina, and display caramel skin color, my black curly hair, my traditional ways, and my innovative ideas with dignity."

As a Latina, I have not experienced visible signs of discrimination. If I have been the target of discrimination it has been in such a minor subtle way that it has not significantly affected me. I believe when you educate yourself and respect yourself, others will do so as well. Knowledge is power, and when someone knows that you will not allow ignorance to step all over you, they won't either. As a Mexican-American, I have a life full of color and lively traditions. My family is very important, they are the ones that support me whenever I feel weak or discouraged. Our family gatherings reflect the flavor of our rich cultural traditions, and the sound of our beautiful music, whether it is the historical/political words in norteñas, the fast sticky beats of banda, the irresistible rhythm in salsa, merengue, and bachata, or even the more traditional lyrics about love and heartache that are found in mariachi. Who someone is, or where they come from and belong to, can never be detached from her. I bring who I am to the University of New Mexico, to my classrooms, and to my work. I am proud to be a Latina, and display caramel skin color, my black curly hair, my traditional ways, and my innovative ideas with dignity.

To be a first generation Mexican-American in college has been an interesting and difficult journey. My next step after receiving my Bachelor of Arts degree in Education will be to complete a master's degree. With the blessings of God, I will ultimately obtain a Doctorate in education, and after I will become a principal. Life is full of challenges that make living exciting. If it were just a smooth paved road, we would never have anything to look forward to. Hechale ganas, in everything that you do; know that querer es poder!!

The Mysterious Education Gap
By Germán E. Velasco, Hispanic Radio Network

We know from the news that Latinos are reaching extraordinary positions of leadership in every avenue of North American society. Nonetheless, statistics show that Latinos are not pursuing higher education in numbers proportional to our representation in this country. There's a mysterious achievement gap in education. These numbers are maddening to those who follow the studies and research the education system. They're asking questions and searching high and low for possible solutions to this permanent crisis.

Actually, there is no big mystery concerning why proportionally fewer Latinos cross that bridge which leads to a university education. The answer is clear, but to see it, we have to fix our eys on the big picture - not just on the numbers and the statistics.

A Latin American immigrant brings centuries of poverty and exclusion with him when he arrives in the United States, and this history doesn't just disappear by magic. Many U.S. Latinos have no choice but to remain fully focused on their first order of business: surviving in a society which is new and foreign in every sense.

The working Latino family who arrives in the United States generally comes from a region of great poverty where people live truly disadvantaged lives. Indeed, in Latin America's poorest areas, children don't always go to grammar school; their parents need the added help of these little hands. In these regions of our planet, children work as productive laborers from the time they're 4 years old - and this is hard for an advanced, industrialized society to understand.

These 5-year-old child laborers, who work to bring the merchandise to the marketplace, are children who - upon their arrival in the United States - have to enter into a system as familiar to them as the planet Mars. The language, the place, the culture. Everything is different. For many of them, a book in English is the first book they've ever had in their hands.

Small anonymous heroes

These Latin American children are life's great fighters, heroes who, in the statistics, seem like people "who can't" when, in reality, they're people who accomplish far more than most.

The gap between Latinos and whites finds its origins in the beginnings, under circumstances where these children - who never manage to achieve even the norm - could actually excel with the benefit of special attention. Later, the problems carry over to high school, where the same achievement gap, with some slight variations, persists.

So what do the scholars of the mysterious gap need to solve their conundrum? Where should they focus their energies and and apply their theories?

Understanding the statistics

After looking at a graph which demonstrates how few Latinos graduate from university, we would see that 57% of Latinos have a high school degree, compared with 88% of whites. We might then turn to a graph which shows how Latino youth are typically placed in "general education" courses in high school which do not even prepare them for technical training, much less for university.

After considering these two pieces of the puzzle, we can linger on the graph which shows that 44% of foreign-born Latinos are high school drop-outs - compared with only 16% of Latinos born in the U.S. Now, the pieces are falling into place, and the solutions spring into view.

Yes, the probem of the gap is enormous and ongoing, but efforts need to be concentrated on helping children - with special, bilingual tutors - during their cultural and educational transition. There's no big mystery. When we do this, we'll begin to see an end to the disparities.

Any Bush votes here?

The No Child Left Behind Act is, conceptually, an important and sagacious initiative which focuses on a problem as grave and transcendent for Latinos as any topic of immigration. But, the fault lies in the act's timid and undernourished execution.

No Child Left Behind, perhaps the best George W. Bush initiative for Latinos, has lost momentum. It might even fade away without ever having made an impact. But, this same initiative, adequately backed up by an appropriate budget, could become a great draw for Hispanic and other minority votes for Bush.

The key to the mysterious Hispanic education gap lies in the need for adequate, personalized attention during that crucial transitional phase when a child is first entering the school system - regardless of his or her age. In other words, the government needs to make a special push to help Hispanic immigrant children reach the point where they can compete on a level playing field. Once there, they'll be able to scale any heights.

Live from Houston: The VERB Campaign Links Latino Youth to Recreational Activities
By Rochael Wetmore, Self Reliance Foundation

This January 21st, as part of the Center for Disease Control's VERB: It's What You Do initiative, Hispanic Radio Network and KLAT-AM Radio presented a live, Spanish-language talk-show called "Active Children, Healthy Families" in Houston, Texas. Hispanic Radio Network (HRN) and the Self Reliance Foundation (SRF) have been partnering with the Centers for Disease Control on the Hispanic segment of the VERB campaign since last September. The campaign aims to educate U.S. Latinos about the critical problem of childhood overweight and obesity in their community.

"We've been delighted to have the opportunity to help promote the national VERB campaign to Latino audiences," said Maite Arce, SRF's national outreach director. "Childhood overweight and obesity are problems affecting so many Hispanic families... But often parents are at a loss for what they can do about it."

Marta Pruneda, a well-known local DJ, hosted the "Active Children, Healthy Families" show. Her guests included Art Contreras, director of community initiatives for the YMCA of Greater Houston, and councilwoman Carol Alvarado. Mr. Contreras provided valuable tips, as well as local resources, for getting exercise and engaging in sports programs. The councilwoman informed the community about programs and activities offered by the City of Houston's Parks and Recreations Department.

In addition, listeners were able to call in and participate in the live radio discussion. The Self Reliance Foundation's National Hispanic Resource Help-Line at (800) 473-3003 was also available during and after the show to provide free information and direct referrals to health and recreation programs for youth in Houston's local communities.

Throughout the nation, an increasing number of children are becoming overweight or obese. But, the problem of childhood overweight and obesity is more prevalent among Hispanics than among any other ethnic group, affecting one in five Hispanic children. The national, multicultural VERB campaign, launched in June 2002, focuses on tackling this problem by promoting physical activity since sedentary behavior, such as viewing the television for hours, has been identified as one of the key factors promulgating this health epidemic.

"From the response we're getting in our call center, we know there's a strong concern about this problem and that parents want to find ways to help their children to lead healthier, more active lives," said Arce. To date, SRF has received over a thousand calls to its National Hispanic Resource Help-Line regarding the VERB campaign.

The Hispanic Radio Network will be airing two more live talk-shows in May, one in Los Angeles and one in Miami. For more information on VERB, parents can visit www.VERBparents.com. Youth and teens should go to www.VERBnow.com. To receive regular VERB updates, sign onto the campaign's electronic listserv. Join the 1,200 people that have already signed up by sending an email to listserv@cdc.gov with only the following in the body of your message: subscribe verb-list.

"Next Generation Talk" Radio Series Focuses on Border Teens
By Ellen Alderton, Self Reliance Foundation

With the help of a start-up grant from the Self Reliance Foundation, undergraduate students at the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP), are currently producing four radio shows focusing on Latino teens living in the U.S.-Mexican border region. The initiative, known as the Youth Radio Project, is intended not only to support young people wishing to pursue careers in media, but also to publicly address issues of relevance to this generation.

"We're delighted to be instrumental in making the Youth Radio Project a reality," said Arturo Vasquez, SRF's executive director. "Latino youngsters growing up in this country, and particularly in border regions, face numerous challenges - problems of school drop-out, substance abuse, unplanned pregnancies. We want to provide these young people with opportunities not only examine the issues affecting their generation, but also to develop concrete professional skills and to enjoy success."

The series, to be called "Next Generation Talk," is produced by a core team of six UTEP students aided by various high school students recruited schools across the city. According to Norma Jean Gradsky, a UTEP senior and Next Generation Talk administrator, "the integration of high school and college students has been wonderful, and we're working really well together as a team... We're working with one high school which excels in media and production, and the whole class from that school has composed and recorded original theme music for our show."

"We figured, for a show on teens, who better than teens to explore these issues?"

The first program, to be aired in March, is titled "Ni de aquí, ni de allá," (not from here or from there) and will focus on the question of identity, which remains an ongoing concern for many youngsters growing up in the El Paso region. UTEP senior and Next Generation Talk producer, Monica Gongora, noted that, "living on the border, we have a double-identity. We're Mexican, but we're living in the U.S. A lot of us speak Spanish, but not the way they speak it across the border. Are we Chicano or Latino or Hispanic or American or Mexican American? A lot of us don't know who we are."

"Ni de aquí, ni de allá," will run for half an hour and will include a panel of high school students discussing their perspectives on growing up in an environment where personal identity and culture are not always so clearly defined. "We figured, for a show on teens, who better than teens to explore these issues?" said Gongora.

Future shows will focus on additional issues of importance to border teens such as underage drinking; the importance of pursuing a higher education; and problems of obesity and eating disorders. Shows, which are being produced at ETCOM, an El Paso production studio affiliated with the Self Reliance Foundation, will be aired on local commercial radio stations.

Zita Arocha, UTEP's faculty advisor for the Youth Radio Initiative, sees the program as a clear success: "This is great real world work experience for all of the young people involved. It's very rare for an undergraduate to get the opportunity to actually create, develop and run a radio project from the ground up... It will make them better future employees. The project's a winner for all of us - for UTEP, the students, and the Self Reliance Foundation."

NIDA Tackles Teen Drug Abuse with Multimedia Materials
By Monica Villavicencio, Self Reliance Foundation

With its new NIDA Goes Back to School initiative, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) seeks to educate students, teachers, and parents on recent findings about the science of drug addiction, treatment, and prevention. With a Web site geared toward teens and print publications, this initiative marks the beginning of a widespread and aggressive campaign not only to prevent, combat, and increase awareness of drug abuse but also to garner interest in the biological sciences among young students.

Back to School's interactive Web site, www.teens.drugabuse.gov, includes activities such as "NIDA Libs," in which students create their own news article about marijuana and "Dr. NIDA's Challenge," a quiz which tests kids' general knowledge about drugs. Real life stories featuring former teenage drug users and a Q&A section with NIDA director, Dr. Nora Volkow, allow students to explore the real life ramifications of drug abuse.

To encourage teachers to incorporate these materials in classroom education, NIDA has further developed a series of materials to engage audiences from second grade through high school level. A teacher's guide with activities, slides, and fact sheets concerning many common drugs of abuse are also posted on the Web site.

Of equal importance to the success of this initiative is parental involvement. In efforts to engage parents, NIDA Goes Back to School includes the marketing of drug abuse-related literature for parents. Free Spanish-language materials are available both online at www.backtoschool.drugabuse.gov or by calling the National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Abuse at (800) 729-6686.

Indeed, drug abuse statistics concerning Hispanic youth are alarming. According to a NIDA report published in 1998, 9.2% of Latinos ages 12 to17 and 10.9% of Latinos ages 18 to 25 reported drug use within a one-month period. Hispanic youth also have the highest rates of cocaine, crack, and heroin use. Although Latinos made up only 12% of the U.S. population in 1999, they amounted to 13% of substance abuse-related hospital admissions.

NIDA director Volkow further explained that recent immigrants are also at high risk for drug abuse: "There are some that are more vulnerable - for example, those that are recently immigrated into the United States are more vulnerable because they place themselves in a novel environment. Many of them are by themselves, so the level of stress is very high."

Volkow, prior to her appointment as NIDA's director, received many awards for her research using brain imaging to study the neurological processes that occur during drug addiction. Herself a Latina, Volkow grew up in Mexico City and has since devoted her medical career to scientific study of the nature of addiction.

Parents and Teachers Join Forces to Promote Mental Health among Latino Youth
By Majose Carrasco, Outreach Director, NAMI MIO

(NAMI is a member of the Self Reliance Foundation's mental health advisory committee, and SRF serves on NAMI's Multicutural and International Outreach coalition.)

A significant number of Latinos residing in the United States either have some type of mental illness or have a loved one who has. The prevalence of mental disorders for Latinos in the United States is similar to that of whites at about 21% of adults and children. Latinos, however, are not as often diagnosed as Caucasians and the lack of knowledge and access to mental health information often prevents Latinos from receiving treatment until the disease has progressed to an advanced stage requiring hospitalization.

Researcher Andres Pumariega notes that Latino children are at high risk for some mental illnesses and face disproportionate psychosocial risks, such as extremely high rates of suicide and substance abuse. For example, Latina girls have the highest suicidal ideation rates across all ethnic groups. Moreover, Latino children and youth face higher rates of misdiagnosis and over-institutionalization (inpatient, commitment, child welfare, and juvenile justice).

In order to close the gap between Latinos and much needed mental health services, NAMI (formerly National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) is developing a pilot program to educate Latino parents and teachers about mental illness. Our goal is to help Latinos recognize and identify the early signs of these illnesses and give them the tools, information, and support that they need to access treatment.

Loosely based on NAMI's popular Parents and Teachers as Allies, a guide to recognizing early onset mental illness in children and adolescents (currently available in English), this program provides information about illnesses such as bipolar disorder, attention deficit disorder, major depression, and anxiety disorders. Furthermore, it helps parents and teachers to understand family reactions to these illnesses and teaches how to navigate the mental healthcare system.

The Latino youth program will be piloted at Key Elementary School, a bilingual school in Arlington, VA where Latino children make up 52.8% of the student body. The program will include three public education sessions conducted in Spanish; collaboration with a local community leader who has the trust and respect of the school's parents; easily understood informational materials about major mental illnesses and symptoms; support and guidance for parents who have a child with mental illness; and, childcare available during the presentations.

For information about Parents and Teachers as Allies and other NAMI resources and programs for young families please visit our web site at www.nami.org

Children Flourish in After-School Programs: A Review of the Literature
By the Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Philadelphia

(Congreso de Latinos Unidos is one of the thousands of Latino-serving organizations in SRF's custom-developed provider database. To learn more, visit www.congreso.net)

Across the country, after-school programs have been gaining more attention for the positive outcomes they produce in children. These observations have been supported by government and private research. The following quotes from reputable sources describe the most common results of quality after-school programs.

According to N. Peter of the Best Practices Institute, across the country, four main student outcomes emerge. These are:
1. Increased academic achievement, such as better grades, increased rates of high school graduation, and improved college access
2. Decreased involvement in risky behaviors, which means that teens in after-school programs have decreased drug and alcohol use, are less frequently involved in crime or violence (both as victims and perpetrators), and are less likely to become pregnant.
3. Improved access to employment, in terms of learning about, obtaining and maintaining employment.
4. Enhanced life skills, which encompass improved communication skills, peer relations, self-confidence, and cultural sensitivity.

"There is significant research which shows that participation in after-school programs is positively associated with better school attendance, more positive attitudes towards school work, higher aspirations for college, finer work habits, better interpersonal skills, reduced drop-out rates, higher quality homework completion, less time spent in unhealthy behaviors, and improved grades."

University of Chicago researchers Spielberger and Halpern have found that "after school programs provide a potentially strong base for nurturing children's literacy development, and for providing a variety of types of literacy experiences." They further note that "after-school programs are well-suited to fostering the social dimensions of literacy, with children sharing ideas, collaborating, helping each other, responding to and critiquing each other, and solving reading and writing problems together. They are also well-suited to addressing the cultural dimensions of literacy, in particular to helping children to explore the particular literacy traditions of their families and communities, and to serving as a bridge for children between those traditions and the literacy demanded in school."

M.W. McLaughlin of the Public Education Network notes that "Community Based Organizations offer a means for reaching youth and they can have a significant impact on the skills, attitudes and experiences youth need to take their places as confident, contributing adults."

And, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time reports that "studies have shown that well-designed after-school programs have been successful at improving grades, standardized test scores, attendance." Moreover, students of these programs "go on to post-secondary schools and... were less likely to initiate drug or alcohol use or become pregnant." The Institute further notes that: "there is significant research which shows that participation in after-school programs is positively associated with better school attendance, more positive attitudes towards school work, higher aspirations for college, finer work habits, better inter personal skills, reduced drop-out rates, higher quality homework completion, less time spent in unhealthy behaviors, and improved grades."

Spotlight on Potter Thomas Middle School North Star Program
by Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Philadelphia

Congreso de Latinos Unidos North Star Program works in elementary and middle schools in North Philadelphia. Like the other North Star Programs, the after-school program at Potter Thomas is an integral part of the school. The full-time site coordinator has an office right in the school and is therefore embedded in the school culture. This makes the coordinator more visible, and she is able to communicate directly with teachers, counselors, principal, nurses, and school support staff as needed. Meredith Sofka, manager of the North Star Middle School Programs, believes that "success of the program is based on the relationship the program has with the school. It is also about enhancing the school community."

This year, around 64 kids were enrolled and placed in "families" at Potter Thomas. Each family has an activity leader, who directs the day's agenda and guides the children through activities. The family tends to remains together during programming time, for example, they sit together at the same table when they do homework. The programs emphasize low student-to-staff ratios. This is done to maximize the amount of personalized attention children receive. Even when funding does not allow the program to hire additional staff, high school or college student volunteers (called group leaders) are used to mentor or provide homework help. This is important to Congreso because when kids get more attention, they feel like their voice is being heard, their needs met, and that somebody cares about them.

"The kids in the drama class at Potter Thomas agreed to write and produce a play based on the adventures of Juan Bobo, a character from Puerto Rican folklore."

The staff at Potter Thomas consists of four activity leaders, one safety monitor, and one site coordinator. Therefore, the student-to-staff ratio is near 10.5 to one and drops even lower when group leaders are factored in. There are one or two group leaders assigned to each family who assist the activity leader to carry out activities and help the children with homework. But unlike activity leaders who are there every day, group leaders come on certain days of the week because they are also involved in other service learning projects in the community.

For approximately the first half of the semester, the families rotate through the four major activity areas, concentrating on one activity each day leaving Friday for special events. The four major activity areas are dance, drama, art, and recreation. At Potter Thomas, recreation is further divided into baseball, basketball, volleyball and soccer. Each semester, special activities are also offered depending on the unique skills of the activity leaders or which outside groups are working with the program.

With each activity area, the youth are given an opportunity to choose what specifically interests them. For example, those in dance can choose between breakdancing, salsa, reggae or African tribal dancing. But even though there is flexibility in the particular activity, the youth come to the program with an understand of how their day will be structured.

After rotating through the major activity areas, the youth then individually choose the activity they are most interested in and concentrate on that activity for the rest of the semester. Depending on the type of activity, they then work on a final project or performance. For example, the kids in the drama class at Potter Thomas agreed to write and produce a play based on the adventures of Juan Bobo, a character from Puerto Rican folklore. All final projects and performances during the semester are showcased at the Best of North Stars closing ceremonies and exhibition.

The after-school program at Potter Thomas coordinates its monthly meetings for parents with the school's meetings for parents resulting in relatively high attendance. At the meetings, staff update the parents on program events and often special speakers give presentations on a variety of topics. Time is also set aside for parents to share experiences and offer support with each other.

Cash In on Federal Funding for Youth Programs
By Bob Russell, Self Reliance Foundation

There are many sources of federal funding for youth development and mentoring projects. Below, are brief descriptions of several of these funding opportunities. Make sure you check the Web sites to get the most current information.

21st Century Community Learning Centers (After-School)

21st Century Community Learning Centers are school-based learning centers that provide a safe, drug-free, supervised and cost-effective after-school, weekend or summer haven for children, youth and their families. These programs can offer services that meet the educational, health, social service, cultural and recreational needs of the community. Consistent with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the program is transitioning to a state administered program. For information on the program in your state, you should reach the state contact, which can be found at:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/applicant.html

GEAR UP

The GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant program designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. GEAR UP provides five-year grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow the cohort through high school. GEAR UP funds are also used to provide college scholarships to low-income students.

Only states or eligible partnerships are authorized to receive a GEAR-UP grant. An eligible partnership consists of the following partners: one or more local education agencies representing one or more elementary schools and the secondary school for which the elementary schools are feeder schools; one or more institutions of higher education; and at least two community-based organizations. The Department of Education Web site for the GEAR-UP program is http://www.ed.gov/programs/gearup/index.html

Learn and Serve America

The Learn and Serve Program, Department of Health and Human Services/Corporation for National and Community Service, encourages elementary and secondary schools and community-based organizations to create and offer service-learning opportunities for school-age youth. It provides teachers with information about service-learning and encourages its adoption in the classroom. Programs coordinate adult volunteers in schools and introduce young people to a broad range of careers while encouraging them to pursue further education and training. This approach combines academics with community service to benefit students, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Guidelines and further information are available on the Learn and Serve Web site: www.learnandserve.org.

Youth Build

Youth Build, Department Housing and Urban Development (HUD)/Office of Community Planning and Development /Office of Economic Development, is a competitive grant program that award funds to entities which help young high school dropouts with education, employment skills, and real life work experiences in the construction trade. Youthbuild provides participants with classroom training, income as a construction site trainee and the ability to help their community by building or rehabilitating affordable housing. This is the HUD-supported Youthbuild program; a coalition of community-based organizations, "YouthBuild USA," exists as well and it includes YouthBuild programs that are not HUD-supported. For more information on YouthBuild USA and on the status of current funding opportunities, access www.youthbuild.org and http://www.youthbuild.org/nofa.html

Juvenile Justice Title V (Prevention Programs)

Title V Prevention Programs, Department of Justice / Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), is a state formula grant program that is designed to increase state and local government's ability to support effective prevention programs. These local programs improve the juvenile justice system by providing prevention programs that reduce risk factors and increase protective factors. Grants are made to states but the funds are transmitted through the State Advisory Groups to local government units for the delivery of local delinquency prevention programs. Community based organizations should contact their State Advisory Group for more information about local prevention efforts. You may access the Title V Web site at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/titlev/index.html.

NIH Science Education Partnership Awards

The Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Program encourages biomedical and/or behavioral scientists to work as partners with science museum educators, media experts, and other interested organizations on projects to improve the student (K-12) and the public understanding of the health sciences. Science museums and centers are highly trusted and respected institutions within their respective communities and throughout the nation. Science museums and science centers work closely with schools, research institutions and other community organizations to build public understanding of complex scientific topics. Science museums use interactive and "hands on" learning techniques to engage youth and adults in exploring science and in seeking knowledge. Consequently, science museums and science centers are strongly encouraged to submit applications in response to this announcement. Grants are awarded for a maximum of $300,000/year for up to five years.

National Science Foundation Informal Science Education Program

Initiated in FY 1983, the Informal Science Education (ISE) program promotes public interest, understanding, and engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through voluntary, self-directed, and lifelong learning opportunities.

The ISE program supports a variety of projects, including:

• Television programs, films, and radio shows
• Exhibits and educational programs at museums, science and technology centers, aquaria, nature centers, zoos, and libraries
• Educational programs and activities through community and youth-based programs.

For guidelines, visit www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?ods_key=nsf03511.

¡Arriba los Jovenes!: Southwest Youth Advocate for the Environment
by the Southwest Network

The Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (SW Network) is a multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-national organization comprising 56 community-based, student, native and labor organizations throughout the Southwest and Western United States and the Northern border states of Mexico. The SW Network formed to address environmental degradation and other social, racial and economic injustices that threaten our communities and workplaces. The SW Network has three main campaigns; the Border/Worker Justice campaign, the Land Use/Land Rights campaign, and the Youth Leadership and Development campaign.

Just like their elders before them and the SW Network in general, the Youth Leadership and Development (YLD) campaign was created out of a struggle for justice and equal representation. Since the beginning of the SW Network, youth issues have been an important topic. At the first annual gathering of the SW Network in 1991 in Albuquerque, New Mexico young attendees gathered to discuss what were the issues facing young people of color from working class communities of the Southwest and Northern Mexico.

In the spirit of the SW Network, the youth spoke for themselves and decided that in order to become strong leaders they needed to build their skills, have strong mentors, and be involved in the decision-making process. The next two years were spent preparing for a Youth Encuentro (Youth Gathering), which took place the day before the third annual gathering in San Diego. At this Youth Encuentro, a resolution to start a youth campaign was developed was passed. Following in their mentor's footsteps, young people organized, and used their collective voice to demand what they needed. This is how the YLD campaign was born.

The goals of the YLD campaign are:

-to support youth participants in local organizations through structured leadership development programs,
-to support local organizations in their effort to structurally incorporate youth and/or develop integrated youth components, and
-to bring forward youth issues within the SW Network and the larger environmental and economic justice movement to help re-define these issues from a youth perspective.

The difference between the YLD and many other youth programs is that it is lead, directed, and implemented by young people themselves. The YLD has a core group which makes up the decision-making body of the campaign. It includes youth from 8 to10 of the 56 affiliate organizations of the SW Network. These youth implement the different programs of the YLD.

These programs include the Youth Placement Program (YPP) and the Youth Organizing Training Institute (YOTI). The YPP is a ten-week intensive youth organizing program, which provides a stipend to support young people of color at various SW Network affiliate organizations for the summer. During these 10 weeks, youth advocates work within the local grassroots community-based organizations where they learn community organizing skills through hands-on experience. The youth have the opportunity to actually use the skills they have learned by helping run the local campaigns, programs and general work of the organization.

"Providing [placement programs] like this to youth allows not only for young people of color to learn about the different issues affecting their communities but also to grow mentally and physically and learn that other youth are doing similar, if not the same work." - Susana Nuñez and Hermelinda Guzmán, Organización en California de Lideres Campesinas

Given the intensive nature of the ten-week youth placement program, the YLD has further implemented what they call the Youth Organizing Training Institute or YOTI. The YOTI is a weeklong intensive training institute for the participants of the Youth Placement Program and youth from affiliate, associate and ally organizations. The trainings are developed and facilitated by the members of the YLD core group and other affiliate organizations to build a truly intergenerational movement. The training familiarizes participants with the campaigns of the SW Network and trains them in areas necessary to build their social consciousness as the leaders of tomorrow. The trainings cover such issues as the definition of environmental racism and injustices, power analysis, community organizing, media training, civic participation, globalization, and breaking down sexism, racism, classism and other oppressions.

"I found the SW Network provided a really good step for people of color youth to be future leaders in their communities." - Xiao Yen Chen, Chinese Progressive Association

Over the past ten years the YLD has had 67 youth of color participate in the Youth Placement Program and over a hundred in the Youth Organizing Training Institute. The Youth Leadership and Development campaign continues to grow and is constantly creating new and fresh ways to even more successfully achieve the goals of the campaign: to empower youth! ¡Arriba los jovenes!

For more information, contact Eva Del Rio or Tomás Garduño at (505) 242-0416 or visit our Web site at www.sneej.org

Tennessee Universities Welcome Latino Students
By Rodney A. Ellis, Ph.D., University of Tennessee College of Social Work

Nashville, Tennessee is famous for music, barbeque, and proximity to a wonderful state park system. What is less known is that it is also home to a burgeoning Hispanic population. Although census data place the number of Latinos in the area at approximately 40,000, experts estimate the number to be 100,000 and growing. Any group entering a new community experiences both opportunities and challenges. With the influx of Latinos has come a need for services such as medical treatment, mental health counseling, and educational support. And Tennessee social service agencies are now challenged to provide bicultural and bilingual services to our newest neighbors.

Providers in Nashville have been struggling to keep pace with the needs of the Hispanic community. Bicultural professionals are in demand everywhere, meaning that cities like Nashville need both to recruit graduates of professional programs and to educate and train Latinos from their own communities. David Guth, CEO of Centerstone, Tennessee's leading provider of mental health care, commented, "Our agency is extremely committed to providing quality services to our Hispanic community. The nature of mental health and substance abuse problems necessitates a high level of cultural competence. However, the recent, rapid growth of our Hispanic community has resulted in a far greater need for service to that community with insufficient numbers of culturally qualified clinicians."

Professional social workers are employed in the fields of medicine, mental health, education, substance abuse, agency management, and many others. In order to become a professional social worker students must obtain a Bachelor of Social Work (BSSW) or a Master of Social Work (MSSW). The BSSW prepares students for case management, resource development, and similar positions. The MSSW prepares graduates for professional licensure and practice in areas of specialization such as those listed above. The BSSW is a four-year undergraduate degree, while the MSSW is a two-year graduate degree.

A new initiative, Support for Future Hispanic Professionals (SFHP), will offer several possibilities for Latino students seeking social work degrees. SFHP is a joint project of the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee, the Department of Social Work at Tennessee State University, the Self Reliance Foundation, and a number of local organizations

One SFHP opportunity, the Latino Student Fellows Program, will offer financial support and classroom credit for helping the Self Reliance Foundation to develop a national resource database for Latinos and for participating in various University-sponsored service activities. A second opportunity, Support for Professional Education, will provide stipends to students who complete internships at selected agencies. Additional support, such as funds for the purchase of books and other educational materials may also be available.

Eduardo (Ed) Gumucio, President and Founder of Hablemos, Hispanic Communications Solutions, had these comments: "I commend the efforts of the College of Social Work for having the vision to reach out to the growing Hispanic population in an attempt to expose them to the professional field of social work. Extending a program such as this to the Hispanic community will help fill a significant void that exists due to the lack of bilingual and bicultural providers."

Applications for both the MSSW and the BSSW are currently being accepted for Fall 2004. SFHP is hoping to locate prospective students who will qualify for its initiatives. Those interested in obtaining an MSSW may contact Rod Ellis, Ph.D. at 615-256-1885 (rellis5@utk.edu.). Those considering a BSSW should contact Professor Vickie Williams at 615-963- 7668 (vwilliams@tnstate.edu). Those more comfortable communicating in Spanish may contact Dr. Ellis, who will have one of the University's Spanish-speaking faculty return the call.

Announcements

ASPIRA works to empower the Puerto Rican and broader Latino community through advocacy and youth education and leadership development. For more information, including details about ASPIRA's scholarship program, go to www.aspira.org.

The ¡Soy Unica! ¡Soy Latina! initiative lets young Latinas learn more about their bodies and minds, where their families are from and how to make great choices for their futures. Visit their site at www.soyunica.org

Hispanic CREO's mission is to improve the educational outcomes of Hispanic youth by empowering families to exercise parental choices in education. For more info visit www.hcreo.org or call toll-free (877) 888-2736.

The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) advocates for school systems which better serve Hispanic children and helps young Latinos to succeed academically by building community-school collaborations and by involving families in the education of their children. Visit their Web site at www.nclr.org.

PBS Parents is an interactive Web site which encourages children, along with their parents, to grow and learn through activities, articles, programs, videos and games. For Spanish-language resources, go to http://www.pbs.org/parents/quickstart/spanish/.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation's leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education and is committed to providing scholarship opportunities for Latino students. For more information on scholarships that are now available please visit http://www.hsf.net or call (877) HSF-INFO.

LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) conducts youth leadership training programs, and seeks to empower the Hispanic community at all levels. For more information, go to www.lulac.org or call (202) 833-6130.

Puente Project provides mentoring and assistance to Latino youth in California who wish to go to college and also reports on the educational equity field nationwide. Their Web site: www.puente.net.

MANA, a national Latina organization, empowers Latinas through leadership development, community service, and advocacy. A number of college scholarships are also available. MANA also produces publications of importance to Latinas, their families and the broader Hispanic community. Visit www.hermana.org or call (202) 833-0060 for more information.

Plus, for more information on other youth educational and development programs, recreational activities for children, children's health resources, and information about those difficult topics like teen sexuality and substance abuse, visit our new Web portal on Spanish Internet resources for and about Latino Youth.

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