Metro hosts La Raza Youth Leadership Conference
By Vanessa Delgado
delgadov@mscd.edu

      Toby Morales, 16, stood against the wall staring at the stage while a voice over the loudspeakers shouted to him and more than 1,600 middle and high school students, telling them that they are the future.

      Students from around Colorado packed the Auraria Event Center on Saturday morning to attend the15th annual La Raza Youth Leadership Conference.
“I just wanted to be at La Raza and be with my people,” Morales said, a junior at Alamosa High School.

      Morales came with more than 20 other students from his school. For him, Saturday was his day to be with other students he could relate to and share ideas with about issues going on in his community.

      “I learned how people as one could make a change toward discrimination,” Morales said.La Raza Youth Leadership Conference, originally for young men, gives students the chance to participate in activities and interact with role models who encourage them to take positive roles in the community, said Maria Castro, chair of the board of directors. Castro works as assistant director for the Office of Financial Aid at UCD.

      “What was really special is that we were able to be celebrating 15 years of a conference that will enable students to have options after high school and (help them) be able to go to college,” Castro said.

      Other students, like Enrique Ortiz, 18, took advantage of the Educational Opportunities Fair, which was reintroduced this year. Setup in a “shopping session” style, more than 45 colleges and community organizations stood ready with information packets for students interested in attending college. Ortiz, a student at Sierra Grande High School in Grand Junction, said he plans on attending Adams State College.

      One of Ortiz’s favorite workshops was a poetry workshop he said taught him not to have any regrets because he could do more in life without them.

      This year, students were able to choose from 54 workshops that focused on careers, cultural awareness, education, leadership and self-awareness.

      “It’s good to experience something new once and a while,” said Cinthia Armendariz, 13, of North Middle School. “I decided to come and learn new things about La Raza.”

      Promoting leadership among Latino youths is another goal of the conference. It helps them and school districts handle issues concerning violence, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, high dropout rates, educational achievement and employment, Castro said.

      These goals continue to draw a positive response from students and districts alike, considering attendance increases every year, said Rebecca Fernandez-Martinez.

      Fernandez- Martinez has been on the board since 1999, and in the last three years has served as the workshop chair. She also works as program coordinator at CCD for the TRiO Scholars, which helps low income and first generation college students.

      “Being here for the day of the event and watching all the kids and knowing that I helped makes me proud,” Fernandez-Martinez
said. “I hope students have the opportunity to really grasp who they are and where they come from.”

      Board members would like to see students, especially those graduating soon, take advantage of the opportunities the conference
has to offer, said volunteer chair Jolien Haro.

      “I think education is very important for these students,” Haro said, who works as a senior financial analyst for Arrow Electronics,
Inc. “It’s important for me to give back because I’ve been exposed to a lot of things and I want Latino students to be exposed to that as well.”

      One of the issues raised during the opening speeches highlighted recent immigration reforms. CCD President Christine Johnson told students how important it was as Latino youths to set a standard to maintain a positive role as leaders in the community.

      “The point is, we must choose to be the leaders,” Johnson told students. “It is up to you, this generation, to get to school and pay attention.”

      As part of furthering Latino youth education,the conference partners with the UCD Health Sciences Center, MSCD and the CCD to sponsor scholarships. Micaela Garcia from Hinkley High School, Kayla Maestas from Skyview High School and Jose Vivanco Jr. from Centaurus High School all received $1,500 to attend Metro this year.

      The Youth Awards Committee also names two students from each of the two grade ranges: 6th to 8th and 9th to 12th, to receive a cash award in recognition of their scholastic achievements, leadership and community service.

      When the ceremony came to an end, El Mariachi Juvenile de Bryant Webster group played as students left the auditorium, many holding information packets for colleges.