Latin Roots Newsletter, Vol. 3, December 2003

Dear friends:

As 2003 draws to a close, it comes time to review our progress towards strengthening the education and culture of Latinos in New England. Hispanic communities continue to face the underachievement of many of our schoolchildren; developing programs that increase attendance rates, enhance performance, and diminish dropout rates of Hispanic students remains our primary goal.

Some of our key achievements in 2003:

We have reached agreement with the Lowell School District to study the issues and problems facing their 8th grade students, especially Hispanics, as they transition to high school. The Lowell school committee approved the study on November 12th.

We have completed the design of the study, with the support and input of Dr. Robert Mendoza, Instructor at the Psychiatry and Neuropsychology Department of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. David Pittenger, Head of the Psychology Dept, of the University of Tennessee, at Chattanooga will support us in the processing stage.

We have substantially increased our network of both individuals and groups in the Hispanic community.

We have received our 501c3 charitable status.

We have applied for funding to some 40 foundations and corporations in New England and elsewhere, and to date have received seed money from the Nathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stephens Foundation and the Citizens Bank Foundation.

Innovative programs throughout the U.S. show that Hispanic students can be helped, and we are committed to using these or similar programs to reverse the negative trends in the education of Hispanics in New England.

President & CEO

Leonardo Vivas

I arrived in the U.S. from Ecuador, when I was 19 years old. It took some 25 years before I felt comfortable with both cultures and could transition and work well in both of them. At present I am not only fully bilingual, I am bicultural.

This experience has provided me the vision that Latinos have the possibility of living in this country selecting the best of both worlds (Anglo and Latino). Of course this is easier said than done.

In the US Latino children confront an identity crisis, doubting which culture they belong to. This dilemma translates into a lack of self-esteem. This is the basis of many conflicts and problems at school and this translates into poor performance and eventually high drop out rates. To date, educators, experts and the school system, have overlooked this issue and it has not been addressed in a pragmatic manner.

Doctors Martin La Roche and David Shriberg have researched and concluded that Latino children deal with cultural issues such as "respeto" "familismo" and "alocentrismo" in a way that prevents them from competing and succeeding in school.

I suggest that we look into these issues closely and address them with practical programs and a positive message. Only when this message is truly understood and embraced will Latino kids regain their self-esteem.

Jerry Villacres

Editorial
Dear friends: As 2003 draws to a close, it comes time to review our progress towards strengthening the education and culture of Latinos in New England. Hispanic communities continue to face the underachievement of many of our schoolchildren; developing programs that increase attendance rates, enhance performance, and diminish dropout rates of Hispanic students remains our primary goal. Some of our key achievements in 2003: We have reached agreement with the Lowell School District to study the issues and problems facing their 8th grade students, especially Hispanics, as they transition to high school. The Lowell school committee approved the study on November 12th. We have completed the design of the study, with the support and input of Dr. Robert Mendoza, Instructor at the Psychiatry and Neuropsychology Department of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. David Pittenger, Head of the Psychology Dept, of the University of Tennessee, at Chattanooga will support us in the processing stage. We have substantially increased our network of both individuals and groups in the Hispanic community. We have received our 501c3 charitable status. We have applied for funding to some 40 foundations and corporations in New England and elsewhere, and to date have received seed money from the Nathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stephens Foundation and the Citizens Bank Foundation. We have applied for funding to some 40 foundations and corporations in New England and elsewhere, and to date have received seed money from the Nathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stephens Foundation and the Citizens Bank Foundation. Innovative programs throughout the U.S. show that Hispanic students can be helped, and we are committed to using these or similar programs to reverse the negative trends in the education of Hispanics in New England. President & CEO Leonardo Vivas Testimony I arrived in the U.S. from Ecuador, when I was 19 years old. It took some 25 years before I felt comfortable with both cultures and could transition and work well in both of them. At present I am not only fully bilingual, I am bicultural. This experience has provided me the vision that Latinos have the possibility of living in this country selecting the best of both worlds (Anglo and Latino). Of course this is easier said than done. In the US Latino children confront an identity crisis, doubting which culture they belong to. This dilemma translates into a lack of self-esteem. This is the basis of many conflicts and problems at school and this translates into poor performance and eventually high drop out rates. To date, educators, experts and the school system, have overlooked this issue and it has not been addressed in a pragmatic manner. Doctors Martin La Roche and David Shriberg have researched and concluded that Latino children deal with cultural issues such as "respeto" "familismo" and "alocentrismo" in a way that prevents them from competing and succeeding in school. I suggest that we look into these issues closely and address them with practical programs and a positive message. Only when this message is truly understood and embraced will Latino kids regain their self-esteem. Jerry Villacres	Taking a closer look To address the Latino student dropout issue, we have first evaluated programs with an established record of success in reversing Hispanic dropout rates. The first in this series is the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program (CCVYP), created almost 20 years ago by the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), a Texas-based organization that has pioneered studies on Hispanic education and set up innovative programs proven to work. Program Keys CCVYP places middle and high school students in positions of academic responsibility as tutors to elementary school children, enabling the older students to make a difference in the younger students' lives. Unlike most cross-age tutoring programs that use academically successful students, the CCVYP tutors are students who are 'at risk' of dropping out of school. The CCVYP is not an after school program, but works within the school day, and is directly under the supervision of the school authorities. Tutors are paid a modest stipend for their work, reinforcing the worth of the students' time and efforts. Program Elemants An instructional strategy that includes classes for tutors, tutoring sessions, field trips, role models (guest speakers), and student recognition Support strategies, including a specific curriculum, coordination from within and outside the schools, staff enrichment, family involvement, and last but not least, a rigorous evaluation. The CCVYP is flexible, readily adaptable to individual schools and school districts. Effects When 'at risk' students are placed in responsible roles and supported in their efforts, powerful benefits occur: they stay in school, improve their literacy and thinking skills, develop self-esteem, and feel they belong in school. Youngsters who are tutored experience learning in a comfortable and non-threatening climate, often developing strong bonds with their tutors. This philosophy has so far helped more than 250 schools in 25 cities within and outside the US keep 98 percent of Valued Youths in the classroom. In total it is estimated that the program is making a visible difference in the lives of more than 136,000 children, families and educators. The program has received recognition as an exemplary program by the Texas Education Agency, the U.S. Department of Education's Program Effectiveness Panel, the Peter Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management and, the Corporation for National and Community Service. (Taken from IDRA Website and printed materials. For further information see www.idra.org)

In January of 2004 we will perform our survey of 8th graders in the Lowell public schools. The results will help us identify the problems facing Latinos in Lowell, and to design afterschool programs to help keep them in school, get their high school diplomas, and go to college. Please help us with this important task. Thank you so very much for your support. Leonardo Vivas, Roy & Leslie Lobb Please make your tax-deductible donation to Latin Roots Corp.
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	December 2003, Volume 3
Latin Roots is a nonprofit organization created to serve the Latino communities.