| "ADELANTE EVENT TO HIGHLIGHT KEEPING LATINO STUDENTS IN SCHOOL" Toledo, OH - Latino youth leaders from Toledo will gather on Friday, January 21 at the Toledo-Lucas County Library Main Branch, located at 325 Michigan Street, to address the vital issue of keeping Latino high school students on track to secure a college degree, career preparation and/or a good job. In a program that will begin at 9:00 a.m., approximately 100 students will come together to discuss a local research project - a community needs assessment - that examines current barriers to staying in school. They will also hear from community leaders, including Toledo City Council Member, Adam Martinez. Emilio Ramirez, Principal of Woodward High School and Julia Torres Barden, Executive Director of Adelante, the host's organizer. The students will conclude their day with a mini career/college fair. The one-day program is part of a national youth leadership and community advocacy initiative sponsored by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. It is coordinated in partnership with selected NCLR Affiliate members including Adelante, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve and empower individuals and families in Northwest Ohio through education, substance abuse prevention, economic literacy, health, and other social services. The program also provides a model of ongoing engagement and community improvement for participating youth. Adelante participates in NCLR's youth leadership program, the Lideres Initiative, which equips, empowers, and inspires young Latinos to pursue positions of leadership and serve as agents of positive change in their communities. In Ohio, there are approximately 42,100 Latino youth between the ages of 15 and 24, comprising 19% of the Hispanic population in the state. |
