THe challenge within our schools:
The Hispanic community is the youngest demographic in the U.S. and continues to be the fastest-growing segment of the labor force. Statistically, Hispanic students in Virginia possess a dangerous high school dropout rate putting this group in a high-risk trajectory.
OUR SOLUTION
The initiative directly addresses hurdles that our participants are faced within a caring and culturally relevant way designed specifically to level the playing field for Hispanic Youth.
The Pasaporte A La Educación Initiative supports the aspirations of Hispanic students in their journey to be successful leaders in the community, through education and mentorship. The approach we take in our programs is designed to create an equal opportunity for these students allowing them to find out what inspires them and fulfill their potential. The programs' focus is to decrease the dropout rate, and to prepare our future leaders to continue their education and enter workforce through:
Leadership Mentoring
Pasaporte A La Educación's Bilingual Leadership Mentoring is a school-based program available for Hispanic students in elementary, middle, & high school, exposing them to new learning experiences and offering them the opportunity to follow their dreams.
Inspirational Experiences
Passaporte a la Educación hosts many educational workshops geared towards helping students explore career options. A virtual series called Breaking Boundaries is the newest workshop, where students can listen to inspirational stories of leadership and success from role models who overcame limitations to achieve their goals!
Educational Excursions
Pasaporte A La Educación hosts in-person and virtual school tours throughout the year made to inspire students' academic journies. These bilingual tours are created for students and their families to explore the benefits of higher education.
Resources
Pasaporte A La Educación uses a "familia" approach to support Hispanic students, providing up-to-date educational resources to assist Hispanic students and their families in navigating the Educational System.
Leadership Mentoring
Pasaporte A La Educación's Bilingual Leadership Mentoring is implemented by trained leadership mentors who are members of the Hispanic business community. These mentors engage Hispanic students in bilingual proven skillset leadership lessons on Attitude, Affirmations, Achieving Success, Setting Goals, Good vs Bad Habits, Time Management, and Decision Making. Our leadership lessons are in-school based and offer proactive strategies and tools for students to achieve their higher educational dreams.
Leadership coaches also check in with students regarding progress in their classes and form relationships as engaged educational advocates. Cultural celebrations are incorporated into the program for mentors, students, parents, and school staff to attend providing an opportunity to develop interpersonal relationships-key components for improving academic performance and school attendance.
Since the program's launch in 2011, Passaporte a la Educación has served over 1,700 Hispanic students and their families.
Program Goals
To empower Hispanic students with bilingual/bicultural leadership skills.
To promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics-STEAM education.
To ensure that Hispanic students are prepared to enter the workforce by equipping them with the educational tools necessary to succeed.
To support Hispanic students and families through the educational system in the U.S.
To supply bilingual educational resources for Hispanic families and students.
To inspire Hispanic students to their next level of educational achievement.
To encourage Hispanic parents to be engaged partners with their children's schools.
To inform Hispanic students and families about higher education options.
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
“This program was awesome! I really like the mentors, and I enjoyed it. My favorite leadership lesson was on Positive Affirmations.”
- Dasia
"It's my dream to graduate from college and this is an amazing program to help us with our goals. I met a new best friend, in working with my leadership mentor coach.”
- Yenifer
“What I liked best about this program was the yoga sessions and learning how to get rid of the stress.”
- Gustavo
“I liked how nice the leadership coach mentors were, and the hard work they put into the program. Everything was fun and I wish we had more time!”
- Kenia
MENTOR TESTIMONIALS
"Just being able to help someone brings joy to my life. Using my life as an example for them, allowing them to grow has really marked how I see the world as well as how I perceive myself and if I had the opportunity, I would gladly do it every year."
-Edgar Jiménez
“It ended up being the best day of my week, every week. I think that I was supposed to be there to give to them, but they ended up giving to me and I am so grateful that I ended up volunteering.”
-Sandi Turner
"The Passport to Education Bilingual Leadership Programs stand out among mentoring programs because of the focused bilingual leadership curriculum during the sessions. Middle school is a critical age for kids. They really develop into what kind of adults they are going to become”
