Henrico leaders at ‘Próximo Pasos’ event encourage Hispanic students to pursue opportunities beyond high school

Henrico Schools held its new “Próximo Pasos (Next Steps)” event for the county’s Hispanic and Latino students at J.R. Tucker High School recently to promote different pathways after high school.

Military recruiters, college admissions officials, and nonprofit workers all spoke to students at the Oct. 11 event, part of a series of events put on by HCPS during October for Hispanic Heritage Month. Although the event was hosted at Tucker High because of the school’s high Hispanic population, buses also brought students from Hermitage High and Douglas S. Freeman High.

Hispanic students have a high dropout rate in Henrico’s public schools, according to HCPS’ Director of Equity and Diversity Monica Manns, so the event aimed to give students and families the opportunity to explore multiple post-grad options and learn about resources for high school students. (Data presented at an Oct. 13 Henrico School Board work session showed that the dropout equity index for Hispanic students in Henrico during the 2022-23 school year was 2.66, trailing only that of English learners, which was 4.59. Any number greater than 1 is considered an over-representation of a group, while numbers below 1 represent under-representation. By comparison, the dropout equity index for Asian students was 0.21 and for white students was 0.53.)

Representatives from each organization also spoke as part of a panel, with the presentation translated into both English and Spanish.

“I think this the first time that an event like this has been done, giving us voice to the Latino community, precisely focusing on the education aspect,” said Genoveva Border, an attorney and a member of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber.

Students who recently immigrated to the U.S. or whose families are not very familiar with the American education system have to face a much more difficult college application process, said Enrique Rodriguez, the assistant director of admissions at Old Dominion University.

“I can reflect back on my past and how I struggled – myself and my family – trying to apply to colleges, trying to apply to financial aid,” he said. “Now I have the privilege of having this position, so that I can work with other families who are in the same position. And I was very lucky as well to even help my own sister apply to college last year.”

Rodriguez, whose role focuses especially on Latino outreach and recruitment, said that many colleges now offer more resources to Latino families, such as information sessions and campus tours offered in Spanish.

Border also spoke about resources such as the Hispanic Chamber’s “Passport to Education” program, which matches students with a mentor who is a Latino professional. She encouraged students to consider more long-term goals and opportunities by investing in a college education.

“It may be tempting to finish high school and start working straight away,” she said. “You may be thinking, ‘I’m going to earn a good salary.’ You may be even earning more than an adult in your family. But if you carry on with college education, that’s going to open up a lot of opportunities for you. Your earning potential is going to be so much higher.”

Other representatives, however, promoted alternative pathways to a four-year university – such as two-year colleges, trade schools, and joining the military – for students who are still unsure about pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

“I would like to mention, being a mother of four having immigrated here, there are wonderful trade schools and also the military,” said Olga Kenyon, who works with Molina Healthcare to help Virginia’s refugees and immigrants. “My sister did it – she went to the military as soon as she turned 18 years old, went through college after being in the military, and now works at the Pentagon.”

Along with Molina Healthcare, representatives discussing Medicaid options were also available at the event. Teela Tyler, a healthcare community outreach specialist, said that there is often a misconception that families attending certain schools such as Tucker High don’t need Medicaid. But as schools become more diverse, school leaders will need to meet the needs of families from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

Giving words of advice, the panelists encouraged students to seek opportunities that will lead to future employment, enlistment, or education.

“Be a part of organizations that are gonna make your light brighter,” said Sergeant Major Scott Cauley, an instructor for Tucker High’s Marine Corps JROTC. “Don’t be a part of things that take your light away.”

“And don’t take no for an answer,” said Conchy Alvarez, an advisor for the financial aid nonprofit GRASP. “If you ask a question and somebody says no, go to the next question. Don’t leave any stone unturned.”

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Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s Report for America Corps member and education reporter. Her position is dependent upon reader support; make a tax-deductible contribution to the Citizen through RFA here.