In its second year at West Valley College, the Juventud Rising Student Summit — RaĂces y Alas: Empowering Our Future — drew approximately 230 attendees for a day devoted to celebrating students’ heritage while empowering them to soar higher. In English, “raĂces y alas,” 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.
“We wanted to build a sense of community, connect them to resources, and show them they belong in higher education,” he said.
Participants chose from seven workshops covering subjects such as “Your Path to Success: Transferring from a California Community College” and “Invest in Your Future: The Economic Advantage of a College Degree.” 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’s growth and positive reception, plans call for the yearly continuation of Juventud Rising, as budgets allows.