About 1,300 middle and high school students from around the state participated in the 13th Annual La Raza Youth Leadership Conference held on the Auraria Campus April 24. Metro State is a major educational sponsor of the event and awards $1,000 scholarships to attend the college to three participants.

The conference's mission is to empower Colorado's Latino, Chicano and Mexican youth to achieve their educational, economical and social potential, in addition to developing a commitment and responsibility to their communities, according to Miriam Tapia, associate director of admissions for Metro.

This year's scholarship winners are Maria Banuelos of Smokey Hill High School, Brian Sandoval of Fort Morgan High School and Eileen Trujillo of Stanley Lake High School. All three will begin classes at Metro this fall.

The conference featured an education fair and about 50 workshops on topics ranging from Getting Cash for College and Starting Your Own Business, to Dating Violence and the Chicano Civil Rights Movement. Keynote speaker Maria Guajardo Lucero, executive director of the Mayor's Office for Education and Children in Denver, gave a motivational speech about succeeding in education.

Metro State has supported the La Raza Youth Conference since its beginning in 1991. "The goals of the conference align perfectly with Metro's mission of promoting cultural diversity and serving the community," said Tapia.