LEAP

Scholarship for single parents

2011-10-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Recently, we were approched about advertising a new scholarship on our blog. As we read the criteria and benefits, thoughts went through our head such as - "no way" or "this is too good to be true." But sure enough, this is a great opportunity for parents who are trying to complete their education but through online courses.

Check out the Online Colleges.org Support a Student Scholarship for Single Parents for a $10,000 scholarship! It is open to "any single parent enrolled in a degree program with a significant online component."

We are unsure if this is open to HB 1079 students. One requirement is that students should be receiving some sort of financial aid but it does not specify if this means private scholarships.

http://www.onlinecolleges.org/scholarship

CWU Urges Congressional Support for DREAM Act

2011-07-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

June 2, 2011Written by Zuri Cambron

Central Washington University President James L. Gaudino and Board of Trustees Chairman Sid Morrison signed a resolution on June 2, 2011 to the Washington State congressional delegation in support of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act).

In conjunction with the resolution, Dr. Gaudino and Dr. Morrison wrote a letter to Senator Maria Cantwell expressing the urgency to pass the DREAM Act. They ask Senator Cantwell to continue to support the DREAM Act and extended an invitation to Cantwell to the signing ceremony. Cantwell was unable to join but she expressed her continuous support of this cause. Cantwell has been an original co-sponsor of this bill since 2001.

“The DREAM Act recognizes what is already reality: the children of immigrants are as American as you or I," declared Gaudino. "The truth is that these young people live and work in our communities. They are members of our churches and schools. They are friends, neighbors, and family, and we want them to know that they are welcome at CWU."

The DREAM Act passed the House of Representatives but unfortunately, failed to pass the Senate. But the fight continues on. This year Illinois Senator Dick Durbin reintroduced the bill on May 2011.

Don’t give up amigos/as we need people like you to organize and advocate for equality and human rights. Let’s continue to work hard. It will take continuous commitment but we will ultimately succeed. Like people say we might have lost a battle but not the war. If we continue to work together along with other communities around the nation we can work to advance the DREAM Act. Let this year be the year. Encourage others to be part of this movement; professors, neighbor’s, family and friends, members of our community, and most of all call your congressional senators to take part of this important cause. Take the CWU example and see how one community can work together.

The Latino/a Educational Achievement Project (LEAP) of Washington state will continue to work with the United States Congress to pass the DREAM Act. LEAP is committed to developing educational policies directed to achieve higher education. One of the most important workshops in the LEAP annual conference in February is to advocate for the DREAM Act. We ask students to participate in such workshops and to bring new ideas. Have any ideas? Don’t hesitate to share these ideas with others or post them on this site. Together we can bring change. Si se puede y adelante con la educación!

Generate your ideas here or any other web site that advocates for the DREAM Act, don’t limit yourself. For more information or for ideas, please visit the following websites to get connected to other activist around the nation.

http://www.dreamact.com/
http://www.dreamact.info/
http://www.unitedwedream.org/
http://www.action.dreamactivist.org/
http://www.change.org/

Thank you, Dr. James L. Gaudino and Dr. Sid Morrison from CWU for all of your support. Other sincere thanks go to U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray who have continued to be supporters of the DREAM Act since the beginning. Additional thanks to Senator Durbin who reintroduced the DREAM Act and to everyone else who continues to fight for this cause.

Zuri Cambron is currently a communication major at Eastern Washington University. She has been interning at Sea Mar Community Health Centers in its communication and accounting department. She considers herself a DREAM Act activist and is excited to graduate with her BA at the end of July.

Scholarship that go untouched

2011-03-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

As a student, I used to wonder why people would say there are scholarships that no one applies to and I would think, "which ones because I have been searching everywhere!" But now that I work in an office that administers a scholarship, I am amazing at the limited number of applications that are submitted. Not only that, but I am shocked at how many forget to follow directions. While scholarships are difficult to find and sometimes have confusing directions, let me help you out with a few. Sea Mar Community Health Centers is currently accepting scholarship applications for their Farm Worker Scholarship. The deadline is coming up quick - Friday, March 25! I am told that there are not that many applications this year which is a shame since this scholarship is awarding $1000 scholarships to high school seniors and college students who were either farm workers or have grown up in a farm worker household. This is open to all students, regardless of legal status and it is also open to students with high and low G.P.A.

If you already heard about the Sea Mar scholarship, head over to theWashBoard.org where they have a large database of scholarships for Washington State students. You create a profile and they will match scholarships to your information.

Recently we learned about the 2011 NCLR Best Buy Emerging Latino Leaders Scholarship Program, which is awarding a $15,000 scholarship! It is a national scholarship so start working on it now since it is going to be very competitive.

So be on the look out for scholarships, follow directions, make sure you answer the questions your essay/personal statement and more importantly TURN IT IN ON TIME :)

Good luck!
LEAP

Summary of the 2010 LEAP Conference

2011-02-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

Last year we began drafting this article to serve as our annual newsletter. With the transition to Sea Mar we overlooked this. As we were thinking about the 2011 LEAP Conference and its current postponement, it got us thinking nostalgically at the 2010 LEAP Conference. We hope you enjoy this article and gets you excited for the conference coming up March 10-12.

Enjoy,
LEAP

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More than 400 students and over 560 participants from around the state attended the 10th Annual Latino/a Educational Achievement Project (LEAP) Conference and Legislative Day held on February 18-20 in Tacoma and Olympia, Washington. Students and other attendees from all over Washington state arrived at the beautiful Hotel Murano in Tacoma, where they were welcomed by Colores Unidos, a dancing group from Edmonds School District.

The conference opened strong with students chanting their school pride and walking around the ballroom in similar fashion to the Olympic Opening. LEAP Conference Coordinator, Bárbara Guzmán and LEAP intern, Luis Ortega welcomed conference participants. The 10th annual conference had a new feel and was focused primarily on the students. This was expressed by the conference theme of: Estudiantes unidos para un mejor futuro…ahora! (Students united for a better future…today!).

As a preview for activities to come, a slide show presentation of el Chacal from Sabado Gigante, was shown.

“Why go to college? Because a lot of us are fighting hard to change the law.” This was quoted from Dr. Roberto Gonzales, Assistant Professor of Social Work from the University of Washington, the first speaker of the conference. Dr. Gonzales was able to educate conference participants on the complex situation of undocumented students. He is regarded as a national expert on undocumented students based on his report, Young Lives on Hold: The College Dreams of Undocumented Students, for the College Board. While students listened, Dr. Gonzales spoke informally to students about the history of immigration and causes for the spike in unauthorized immigration. Dr. Gonzalez stated that, “immigration laws today do not match problems we have today in our community” and “demand for labor didn’t change [with globalization], what changed were our laws.”

Dr. Gonzales shared the stories of students he has met, mentored and researched over18 years of work in Chicago, L.A. and Seattle. He spoke of his most notable example, a young woman who completed her Bachelor’s degree, studied to become a teacher, received her Masters, and within a few days of completing her first year of student teaching, received her permanent residence ID card in the mail. Dr. Gonzalez went on to ask, “…when that change [immigration status] comes, where do you want to be? Out of school and frustrated or in school and prepared?” Dr. Gonzalez uses these examples as motivation for students to stay committed to studying and pursuing their educational goals regardless of their immigration status.

There were many workshops this year for participants to choose from, topics ranging from media as a career and to using one’s Latino background as a resource, to leadership development, and information for parents on how to support their 1079 students.

Students returned to the main ballroom to participate in Yuppady, a Jeopardy style game covering basic government questions. With hilarious results, students proved to be excellent contestants and proved Yuppady may just be too easy. This was great news to LEAP as it shows more and more students are becoming familiar with their state government.

Later in the afternoon, conference participants were oriented on Legislative Day, a day where conference participants meet with their state legislative representatives to advocate for improved educational policies. Ricardo Sánchez, LEAP Founder and current Chair of the Board, told students it was okay not to be familiar with their state or congressional representatives, because “many people do not know, [and] that is expected!” Sanchez wanted students not to feel intimidated by the process but to take advantage of the learning opportunities at Legislative Day.

Each year, LEAP and its Advisory Board, establishes educational policy priorities which LEAP advocates for at its Legislative Day event. This year, LEAP chose to focus on Senate Bill 6778, an alternative route to high school graduation. As it stands, our state requires that high school students earn 24 credits to graduate from high school, but our state universities and colleges only require a minimum of 15 credits. LEAP has recommended the state provide an additional opportunity for students to pursue an alternative route to graduation. SB 6778 would give students, who earn at least 15 credits with a 3.0 GPA or above, to graduate from high school. Sánchez stated that, “if this bill passes, it would gives students a chance to graduate from high school and go to college…and it would decreases high school drop-out rates.”

Without the convenience of time, participants were given a quick introduction to SB 6778 and Legislative Day. Even if the students did not feel well prepared, they were all excited to go to Olympia the following day. It was LEAP’s main intention to begin a discussion about this topic and welcomed a healthy debate.

During the dinner program, conference attendees had the opportunity to hear from their peers. A diverse set of students served on a panel describing their leadership experiences. This panel included: Melissa Holguin Pineda, a middle school student from Vancouver School of Arts and Academics; Manuel García, a senior from Mount Vernon High School; Maria Vallejo a student at Seattle Central Community College; and Elizabeth Hernandez, from Washington State University. Hernandez told students, “un mejor futuro ahora no mañana,” they should advocate for a better future today not tomorrow. The student panel’s main message for students was: college should be for those people who make the effort to go to college.

Dr. Alejandra Rincón, National Director of University Alliances at the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and author of Undocumented Immigrants and Higher Education, was the key note speaker for Thursday evening. Dr. Rincón provided a compelling look into the DREAM Act, a federal bill that would provide undocumented students with permanent residency if they have lived in the United States:
• before they were 16 years old,
• for 5 years and,
• have graduated from a U.S. high school.
If within 6 years, these individuals either complete 2 years of a college education or a US military term, they will receive permanent residency.

If the DREAM Act passes, Dr. Rincón predicts around 300,000 people would benefit. But Dr. Rincón noted it has been 10 years since the DREAM Act has been introduced into U.S. Congress. She asks: do they [US government] want us here…yes, do they want cheap labor…yes. Do they want us to go to college…no. Why are we good enough to work but not good enough to go to school?

Dr. Rincón further explains, even though the Dream Act has not passed yet, it has brought positive outcomes. Undocumented students are now united and students are coming out from the shadows empowered. Her examples included three national cases of undocumented students who fought back as they were given deportation notices and have spoken out about the DREAM Act. Another positive, Dr. Rincon explains, is while it took California 15 years to grant in-state tuition to undocumented students (AB 540), it only took Washington state 2 years (HB 1079).

Dr. Rincón continued by discussing the unintentional harm advocates of the DREAM Act commit by using particular comments such as suggesting that students are being penalized because of their parent’s actions or the idea that we must educate undocumented students or they can become criminals and also focusing on just high achieving students. She asks, “what about the one who got pregnant? What about the one with a GED?”

After Dr. Rincón’s address, LEAP dedicated the rest of the evening to parents by recognizin their sacrifices and support they have provided over the years. A slideshow of photos and quotes from state Latino leaders was shown to emphasizing how their parents have and continue to influence them. The slideshow was intended for the younger generation to recognize parents are still influential, no matter your age or position. Frances E. Contreras, Associate Professor for the College of Education at University of Washington submitted the following quote:

“My parents are my inspiration who provide me with unconditional love and support, during both life's challenges and successes. They have shown me through their example, that through hard work and by having integrity, you can accomplish great things while holding true to your ideals. They also modeled that you also have to stand for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone at times--to be a leader takes courage and character”.

Following the slideshow, there was an open mike for conference participants to express their appreciation for their parents. Students jumped at the chance to honor their parents and recognize their support. In addition, each parent attending the conference was surprised with a small gift bag as a small token of appreciation.

As the evening winded down, some of the conference participants chose to end their evenings early. For those who stayed, they were treated to the annual Noche Cultural, a time for students to use to showcase their talents. LEAP Volunteers developed an American Idol style skit with a few surprise contestants, such as la Chilindrina, to encourage students to participate. But the highlight of the evening was el Chacal, who came all the way from California to attend the conference. Students were excited to see this celebrity but not so much when he chose them as his “victims” on the dance floor.

Noche Cultural continued with students sharing their songwriting, singing, dancing, and acting abilities. But to everyone’s surprise, Ricardo Sánchez, Chairman of the Board for LEAP, proved to everyone age “ain’t nuthang” but a number with his rapping abilities, a real treat for everyone in attendance.

Friday February 19th

The morning of Legislative Day started with warm bright sun instead of clouds and rain. Once at the capitol, many conference participants chose to attend the SB 6778 hearing, where a group of students from Pasco, Mount Vernon, and Federal Way testified for SB 6778. Many people testified in support of the bill, most notable was Israel Bellam on behalf of Dr. Lee Vargas from Kent School District and Ben Kodama from the Equitable Opportunity Caucus and Asian-Pacific Islander Think Tank. There were many recognizable opponents such as the Seattle Times and the Governor’s Office. None of this deterred the students, they were determined to testify because this bill affected students and little student input. The LEAP students wanted to fill the missing student voice in this discussion. Even Barbra Martin, who testified in support of SB 6778 said, “it could not have been better to have children here to testify…. this should be student centered.” As the students and participants testified, many referred to their peers. Raul Sital Jr testified:

“…si se puede and you got to want it, especially for those who wake up at 5 am for a 12 hour day… seeing more than half of my class not going to graduate kills me…people speak different languages who are brilliant but can’t surpass [WASL] tests because they do not understand the English language well.”

Christian Resgot said “this isn’t a step back… [we’re] only asking for 15 credits and a 3.0 GPA… this is what colleges look for…” One student testified that she has a 3.8 GPA and is taking AP classes but struggles with passing the WASL. Ofelia Rodriguez said “everyone is given tools to graduate… we need to give tools to those who struggle to graduate…”

Ricardo Sanchez, founder of LEAP, testified:“We want to keep our standards and education high… we fail to see how students can graduate with all D’s – how will this help them? Don’t we want students to rather maintain a B average in high school? Students who graduate with 15 credits will also need to maintain a B average…”

This was an impressionable experience for the students. One student from Pasco even boldly stated to the hearing committee members, “I want to be sitting next to you guys someday.” Everyone was impressed with the students and commented on their bravery to stand before the Senate Hearing Committee.

(Note: SB 6778 passed in the Senate but did not move out of committee in the House.)

The rest of Legislative Day went well with students having their questions answered by their legislator. Students from Global Connections High School, District 33, asked Representative Tina Orwall about SB 6778. She stated that she was skeptical and not sure if CORE 24 is the right direction.

Lee Mendez from Wenatchee Valley College CAMP in District 12 asked Senator Linda Evans Parlett, how the governor could look at education and financial aid and cut its funding? Senator Evans-Parlett replied, “I can’t speak for the Governor but she has different priorities than mine.”

Natalie Ruiz from Lynnwood High School in District 21 asked her Senator, Paull Shin, about SB 6778. Senator Shin let her know that he support the bill and stated, “it’s good for students who have ‘interruptions’ in their education.”

As Legislative Day was coming to an end, students from Mount Vernon middle school said they had fun getting to know how legislation works and what it does. In addition, they said it was exciting [to meet their representative] but felt comfortable because he is the father of one of the teachers in their middle school. They even had the opportunity to ask him about any struggles he has experienced in his career.

During lunch, Senator Rosemary McAuliffe from District 1 addressed conference participants and told them:

“This is your state capital. It’s very important that some of you testified today. It is a very important bill. There has to be a different way for students to show that they have the skills and knowledge to graduate. It’s important for all of you to talk to your representatives and say pass the bill…”

The 2010 LEAP Legislative Day proved to be successful in helping students understand and received first hand exposure at their state government. Students did a great job representing their schools, community and families, while playing a role in governmental decision making.

Upon returning to the Hotel Murano, conference participants were welcomed with an Academic Showcase. The Academic Showcase exposed students to the type of research and work college and university departments engage in, with an emphasis on Latino faculty and student researchers. Representatives from Washington State University, Eastern Washington University, Central Washington University, and Highline Community College were on hand to discuss their research. Students learned about a solar go-cart created by the engineering department; how biomedical research can discover and cure a sexually transmitted disease; using research on the diversity of student populations for a career, and much more. College recruiters were also on hand to provide students with the specific details on attending their college or university.

After the showcase, conference participants returned to the ballroom to listen to a student panel full of amazing leaders making big impacts in Washington state. Students included: Jorge Alonso Chehade, a recent University of Washington graduate; Ray Corona, a student at the University of Washington Bothell; Sinéad Baylón, a student at Green River Community College; and Maria García, a student at Brewster High School. The student panel shared advice and their experiences in their leadership roles.

Chehade, a student who was successful in halting his deportation said, “the best thing to do is unify different organizations and groups by finding a common ground. It’s a matter of sitting down and brainstorming and talking about them and find peace in order to unify…” Chehade further stated when he sees opportunities he takes them and always looks at the positive things in life. Corona told students, “we all need to help each other out and be mentors to one another.” Corona wanted students to understand, “that if you don’t have guidance, get a mentor, it is to your advantage.” Baylón provided some great advice and said, “we as college students need to reach out to our high schools because we are older…be a leader…empower your community, empower others to become leaders and if they fail don’t yell at them, help them.” Lastly, García who lost her family in a tragic accident emotionally said: “I learned the hard way that family is not eternal. You never know, one day you may not be able to do things for yourself. Sometimes life is extremely hard but we have to be positive and think of the good, because if you don’t, you’ll never be able to overcome the obstacles.” This was all great advice from some amazing students who showed, through their actions, were able to accomplish big goals.

This year, LEAP introduced the idea of action planning, which gives students the opportunity to reflect on what they have learned at the conference and how they can continue this energy at home. Students were asked to develop a Live PowerPoint skit, to show their issue and, through their action plan, how they would improve this situation. One example was from Central Washington University who expressed the need for extended library hours so that students can have a space to study late at night.

After a quick break, conference participants returned to the ballroom for dinner. Key note speaker, Senator Paull Shin, spoke to students about his inspirational story. As a homeless child living in Korea during the Korean War, Shin had only one friend who always spoke of committing suicide. Shin pleaded to his friend not to consider such nonsense because he did not want to be alone. Not too long after, Shin saw his friend’s lifeless body on the nearby railroad tracks. Alone for some time, Shin later saw American tanks driving through town and a soldier just grabbed Shin’s arm and took him to their base. This is how Shin became an errand boy at this U.S. Base. One day Shin hid from the base because he was crying, when an American soldier found him and inquired about the tears, Shin angrily told him to leave him. But the soldier persisted telling a young Shin, that when his children cry, it hurts him inside. After some time, this soldier adopted a 16 year old Shin and Shin chose to take his adoptive father’s last name as his first name – Paull. When Shin came to the U.S. to live with his new family, he did not speak English. Shin’s father wanted him to go to school, but Shin had never gone to school either. His father took Shin to the local high school but Shin was rejected at the high school, middle school, and was told he was too old for elementary school. Instead of feeling defeated, Shin decided to obtain his GED and bought an English dictionary so he could memorize it. He would study for 13 hours a day and by the next day, would forget everything he learned. That is when Shin decided to study a page, burn it and place the ashes in water, so he could ingest as a way to embed them into his being. Of all the words in the dictionary, there was one word Shin refused to drink, and that was “impossible.” Instead he threw away the I-M so it could read as “possible.” This, Shin said, was a way to remind him no matter how hard, everyone should prosper because it is possible.

This lesson was evident when Shin decided to run for office as a Democrat in a Republican district. Shin was not sure how his legislative district would receive him, but because America had given him so much, Shin wanted to pay back by serving his country. Shin boldly decided to walk to every house in his district to introduce himself and ask for people’s support. One day, he arrived to a man’s home who decided to use a few unsavory words for Shin based on his race. Shin could have become angry, which he did, but he kept that anger to himself and chose instead to use this as an opportunity. He explained to the man of his experiences and how the words the man chose were not accurate. By the end of the conversation, this man welcomed Shin to his home, supported Shin’s run for office and continues to be a friend to Shin. Shin became the first person of color who was elected in the history of his district.

Shin had much more to add about his personal story and many in the audience were moved to tears. Students were impressed by Shin’s humble words and lessons and were a highlight of the conference. We hope Shin will make an annual appearance to the LEAP Conference

Following Shin’s amazing story, three previous LEAP Scholarship awardees, Sonia Ramirez, Jose Lopez and Osbaldo Hernandez, spoke to conference participants about their educational and leadership experiences after their award. This also proved to be very emotional and was a reminder of the struggles these students continue to face regardless of receiving a scholarship.

All in all, the 2010 LEAP Education Conference & Legislative Day proved to be one of the best yet. We appreciate everyone’s participation and hope to see many of them again in the future either at the 2011 LEAP Conference and/or as leaders in their communities and in Washington state. See you next year!

Luis Ortega Recipient of the Phyllis Gutierrez-Kenney Leadership Award

The 5th Annual Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez-Kenney Leadership Award recipient went to Luis Ortega, a University of Washington student. Luis received a $5000 scholarship sponsored by State Farm Insurance.

Luis is a senior at the University of Washington and he was born in Mexico City. Luis moved to the United States when he was 12. He too had many difficulties when he arrived in the U.S. but today, Luis is very active, advising Latino students all over Washington state and has volunteered and headed many educational forums. Luis is well respected by his peers and other leaders in the state based on his extensive and dedicated leadership work. He has gone on to co-found the Latino Student Union at UW and ALIANZA Student Coalition of Washington State. In accepting his award, Luis said “I face challenges with a smile on my face and before every adversity I stand tall.”

Luis shared with everyone in attendance the poem his grandmother taught him when he went to her school in Mexico, and carries with him everyday:
Jembrando by Rafael Blanco
“Ay que luchar por todos los que no luchan
Ay que pedir por todos los que no implicarán
Ay que hacer que nos oigan los que no escuchan
Y ay que llorar por todos los que no lloran”

A State Farm representative awarding Luis his scholarship, addressed State Farms beliefs in the importance of education stating that there is such value in continuing to learn and continuing development to get educated. They made clear to conference participants that this value of education makes a difference.

Luis will be graduating this June with a Bachelor degree in Political Science and Business Congratulations Luis!

Black Fraternity Comes Out in Force for Their Undocumented Brother - COLORLINES

2011-02-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

Black Fraternity Comes Out in Force for Their Undocumented Brother - COLORLINES

Two Thousand Ten: A Year to Remember

2011-01-19T08:18:00.000-08:00

Two thousand ten has been quite the year. As it comes to an end, it is the perfect time to reflect on the work achieved throughout the year. The Latin@s Stand Up! Movement (LSU) from Global Connections High School did just that. In this moment of reflection one achievement stood out the most: The Fiestas Patrias Parade.

The Fiestas Patrias Parade takes place each year to celebrate the independence of Mexico and other Latin American countries. This year Mexico celebrated its 200 years of independence from Spain. LSU joined the celebration by participating in the parade. It was their first participation in such event. With the help of all its members, LSU spent the entire summer gathering costumes, music, and plenty of energy.

The Fiestas Patrias Parade took place September 18 in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle. There were over 30 entries and LSU was proud to be one of them. LSU gathered 22 of its members, including community members and 3 of its co-founders. They decorated a truck with hand-made traditional flowers made of tissue paper, decorative paint, and a Mexican flag displayed on the hood of the truck. Most of the girls dressed in traditional outfits from head to toe.

Rafael Vazquez and Jose Lopez, co-founders of LSU, join the celebration. Jose wore a traditional Mariachi suit: “I loved to be able to do my Mexican scream out loud and feel proud to wear a Mariachi outfit,” confessed Lopez. The group was fortunate enough to have LEAP’s very own Chacal join them. He blended right in with all the energy and enthusiasm he displayed.

This parade wasn’t just a Mexican celebration. People from other Latin American countries were present as well. “The 2010 parade in South Park was a great experience letting the Latino community show their spirit and represent for their culture!” said LSU member Araceli Esparza. Araceli is currently a junior at Global Connections High School and has dedicated the past two years to the Latin@s Stand Up! Movement.

The parade commenced at the Sea Mar Community Health Center. LSU demonstrated their spirit through music, yelling, silly string, and lots of treats for the spectators. It concluded at the South Park Community Center where everyone enjoyed live music, food, and plenty of sunshine.

When it came time for the awards ceremony, it was LSU’s surprise to find out they were awarded the “Most Spirit Award”. This was LSU’s first year of participating in Fiestas Patrias Parade and they were amazed at how their hard work paid off.

LSU member, Chuyita Tejeda, had been a spectator of this parade in past years. She now had the opportunity to know what it was like to be a part of it all. “The best experience I ever [had] at a parade,” said Tejeda. Chuyita is also a junior at Global Connections High School and shows great dedication to LSU.

All of LSU’s members were excited about participating for the first time in the Fiestas Patrias Parade. They have even brainstorm ideas for next years’ parade. They want to return with the same, or more, enthusiasm as they did this year.

The year is coming to an end and with it comes the memories we most cherish. Those moments are what make the year worth remembering. Two thousand ten was indeed the year. We’ll just have to wait and see what 2011 has in store for LSU.

Written by Gabriela Osorio, co-founder of LSU, and currently a student at Highline Community College. She enjoys writing, reading, and spending time with her family.

The Latin@s Stand Up! Movement (LSU) is a student-oriented club at Global Connections High School in the Highline School District. They are committed to improve the educational outcomes of their peers through leadership, advocacy, and cultural awareness. LSU meets every Wednesday in Ms. Weseman’s room at 2:15 pm. All are welcomed to join. For more information, contact Gaby Osorio at g_osorio08@yahoo.com

An update on the DREAM Act

2010-12-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

A message from LEAP’s Executive Director, Ricardo Sánchez:

Most of you are aware that there has been action this week in the U.S. Congress on the DREAM Act.

The House approved its version of the DREAM Act. The Senate, just this morning, voted to table consideration, which means Senate leaders don’t have the necessary votes. But by delaying the vote, they may be able to change some of the “no” votes to “yea” votes. I suspect they are close to getting the necessary 60 votes that are needed before the actual bill can be voted on in the Senate.

We want to believe that President Obama and Senate leaders are using all of their leverage and negotiating powers to get the votes in the Senate for the DREAM Act. We can be thankful that our two Senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, are strong supporters and advocates.

That’s the optimistic view. The alternate view is that the Senate delay means the bill is dead for this session. Stay optimistic—“It’s not over ‘til it’s over,” es el dicho.

As to the House vote, all of the Democrats, with the exception of Brian Baird, 3^rd District, voted yesterday in favor of the DREAM Act. Baird will not be in office next year because he did not run for re-election.

None of the House Republicans voted for the DREAM Act. No votes were Doc Hastings, 4^th District, and Dave Reichert, 8^th District. Cathy McMorris Rogers, 5th District, did not vote.

(We want to comment on the no votes, but we have decency laws… )

Something you can do:

We have been asking our representatives to support the DREAM Act. If you are in one of the districts where your representative supported the DREAM Act, now is a good time to thank them. Please do this – it’s important that they know we appreciate their support:

Jay Inslee, 1^st District http://www.house.gov/inslee/contact/email.html

Rick Larsen, 2^nd District Rick.Larsen@mail.house.gov

Norm Dicks, 6^th District http://www.house.gov/dicks/email.shtml

Jim McDermott, 7^th District http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/contact.shtml

Adam Smith, 9^th District http://adamsmith.house.gov/contact

And, thank our two Senators:

Patty Murray murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

Maria Cantwell cantwell.senate.gov/contact/

Finally, don’t give up; never give up. Adelante Siempre!

Latino/a Educational Achievement Project

Ricardo Sanchez

VP, Communications and Educational Services

Sea Mar Community Health Centers

206.763.5277

Get into the giving spirit and donate to Sea Mar's toy drive

2010-11-19T15:57:00.001-08:00

Sea Mar Community Health Centers is asking for everyone's support for their annual toy drive. Please consider giving to many deserving families. Read below for more information.
LEAP

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Nothing brings a community closer together than a smile to the faces of children and their families during the holiday season. For over 20 years, Sea Mar has been giving back to communities by hosting annual Christmas parties for its low-income pediatric patients throughout western Washington. This annual celebration is one of our largest and highly anticipated events.

This year you have an opportunity to give back directly to the patients you serve at Sea Mar. Your donation of a new unwrapped toy or children’s book will contribute to the holiday cheer of over 10,000 low-income Sea Mar pediatric patients in eight Washington State counties.

Please drop off your donation at any Sea Mar location between:

November 19 through December 17

Monday through Friday

8am to 5pm

Drop off your donation at the front desk at any Sea Mar site. The receptionist will make sure your donation is given to the Clinic Manager.

A portion of the costs for the holiday parties and donated toys is made possible through the fundraising efforts of Sea Mar’s annual summer golf tournament. The tournament raises funds for Sea Mar’s college scholarships, low-income housing, and holiday children’s parties. However, with your help and support, our staff at Sea Mar can give back and work together this year to secure a brighter holiday season for our children and communities.

Please direct questions to Jennifer Marroquin at jennifermarroquin@seamarchc.org or 206.788.3284.

Enter the LEAP YouTube Contest & Win!

2010-11-16T11:41:00.000-08:00

Are you an inspiring film maker and passionate about HB 1079*? Well now is your chance to use your skills to inspire and educate others on this topic!

If you are a 7th to 12th grader or college student studying in Washington State, you are eligible to enter a video in the LEAP YouTube Video Contest, specifically answering the question - what's next for HB 1079 students. You can win a cash prize if you video is selected as the winner!

For more details, email info@leapwa.org

*State law that allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges or universities in Washington State.

Dont Vote Ad Causes Uproar

2010-10-20T15:03:00.001-07:00

Last week, a television ad by the organization, Latinos4Reform, was aired suggesting Latinos should not vote. This, Latinos4Reform suggests, would show our political strength. The organization afterward told the media they were encouraging people to not vote for the congressional leaders who have not held their promises, such as passing immigration reform.

Regardless of whether this was true or not, the words "don't vote" should never be encouraged. The best way for all voices, including the Latino voice to be heard, is to vote.

I'm voting, are you?

Letter to the DREAM Movement

2010-09-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

A email that was sent to LEAP in relation to the current movement of the DREAM Act.

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September 20, 2010

Greetings!

LETTER TO THE DREAM MOVEMENT

Introduction: We convey this letter from Raul Al-qaraz Ochoa, an ardent student activist of the DREAM ACT movement, who has given tirelessly of his time, his life, and has sacrificed much to fight for the rights of himself and others, and therefore, has the highest authority to express this view in relatiion to the current status of the DREAM ACT and the advocacy for its passage by the U.S. Congress.

The Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) and the Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana have historically supported the DREAM ACT conditionally from the initial versions of the proposed legislation. We oppose war and militarism, but recognize that it is the right of option of anyone to serve in the military. We oppose that the ACT has as an option military service without also including community service as an option. We oppose that the ACT excludes financial assistance, such as CAL-GRANTS or similar other states' student grant programs, to help students in their venture into higher education. We oppose that the ACT does not permit the legalized DREAM students the opportunity to immigrate other family members after the initial years of qualification, however, we do support that these students would be able to immigrate themselves and obtain legal resident status.

What many people seem to forget is that the initial versions of the DREAM ACT were truly an opportunity for literally millions of young people to legalize their status, avail themselves of the option of community service, and/or higher education, in order to legalize their status; and it included the opportunity to immigrate other family members; and it included access to financial aid. The most recent version has stripped the best clauses of the first and second versions of the proposed legislation. The current version is a bastardized clone of the best first version, and it was made even worst by the militarized connection to the legislation.

However, one can argue that being connected to the defense budget is only a medium whereby this legislation can see the light of day. The sad reality, however, is that the Democrats (and that inlcudes President Obama) are a penny short, and an hour late and know that they do not have the votes in the Senate to make the DREAM a reality. But, with this failure they can point to the Republicans as the culprits while both parties slide into the mid-term elections. It is all about the Democrats attempting to hold on to the Latino electoral base without passing anything of substance in the way of immigration reform.

I now cede the word to Brother Ochoa......

National President
Mexican American Political Association (MAPA)
310 N. Soto Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033

Letter to the DREAM Movement:
My Painful Withdrawal of Support for the DREAM Act

Septiembre 18, 2010

by Raúl Al-qaraz Ochoa

I have supported the DREAM Act, despite my critiques and concerns over the military service component. In fact, I was one of the arrestees at the sit-in at John McCain's office in Tucson, AZ; an act of civil disobedience where four brave undocumented students risked deportation and put the DREAM Movement back in the national political stage. I made peace with my participation because I felt I was supporting the self-determination of a movement led by undocumented youth and I felt we could subvert the component that was to feed undocumented youth into the military pipeline if we developed a plan to support youth to the college pathway.

First, let me say that I applaud and admire the tireless work you have all done for the past 10 years. Your commitment and dedication parallels giant student movements of the Civil Rights era. Your persistence in organizing even when the world turned their back on you is inspiring; your creativity in tactics, visuals and media strategy is amazing. Your movement gives hope to hundreds of students I have come across here in Arizona and beyond. It is because of your grassroots efforts-not the politicians' nor the national Hispanic organizations'-that the Dream is still alive and has come this far. As an organizer with permanent resident status privilege, let me assert that your cause for access to college and path to legalization is just. No one can tell you that what you are fighting for is wrong.

With that said, I want to share how I am deeply appalled and outraged at how Washington politics are manipulating and co-opting the dream. I understand that some folks may say, "we just want the DREAM Act to pass regardless", but it is critical to examine the political context surrounding DREAM in its current state. It is disturbing to see how Democrats are attaching our community's dreams for education/legalization to a defense appropriations bill. This is grotesque in a number of ways:

1) Democrats are using the DREAM Act as a political stunt to appeal to Latino voters for the November elections because it is seen as "less" threatening than a broad immigration reform. The Democrats have the political will to recently unite and pass a border militarization bill in a matter of hours ($600 million!), yet they won't pass a broader immigration reform? And now they are up for the DREAM Act? I'm glad they feel the pressure of the Latino voting bloc, but they obviously do not care about our lives, they only seek to secure their seats in November-which by the way look very jeopardized if they don't move quickly to energize their "base". They are also seeking to secure the gay vote with the gradual repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy as part of this same defense bill. All in all, insincere, token political gestures only serve to stall real justice.

2) Democrats are telling me that if I support access to education for all my people, I must also support the U.S. war machine with $670 billion for the Pentagon? Does this mean I have to support the military occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan? By supporting the DREAM Act, does this mean I automatically give a green light for U.S. forces to continue invading, killing and raping innocent people all over the world? This is really unfair. Here in Arizona I struggle with a climate of fear and terror. Yet even though I am so far away, I hear the cries of Arab mothers who are losing their children in U.S. sponsored bombings and massacres. There's a knot in my throat because victims of U.S. aggression abroad look just like us victims of U.S. aggression at home. This ugly and twisted political system is dividing us and coercing us into supporting the funding of more bloodshed and more destruction if we want the DREAM Act to pass. Does this mean that our dreams will rest upon the nightmares of people that suffer globally? Obviously, students that call their Senators are supporting their future NOT bloodshed abroad, but we have to be responsible to the larger political implications of this.

3) Democrats are vilifying and criminalizing our parents. A really insulting argument prominently used for passing the DREAM Act that I keep hearing over and over is that because undocumented students "didn't choose to come to the U.S. to break the laws of this country" you shouldn't have to pay for the "sins" or "illegal behavior" of your parents. Are they serious?!? It is not okay to allow legislation to pass that will stand on and disrespect the struggle, sacrifice and dignity of our parents. What about blaming U.S. led capitalist and imperialist policies as the reasons that create our "refugee" populations. Our parents' struggle is not for sale. We must not fall for or feed into the rhetoric that criminalizes us or our parents. We all want justice, but is it true justice if we have to sell out our own family members along the way?

Again, I support this fight-it's part of a larger community struggle. It's personal to all of us. Passage of the DREAM Act would definitely be a step forward in the struggle for Migrant Justice. Yet the politicians in Washington have hijacked this struggle from its original essence and turned dreams into ugly political nightmares. I refuse to be a part of anything that turns us into political pawns of dirty Washington politics. I want my people to be "legalized" but at what cost? We all want it bad. I hear it. I've lived it. but I think it's a matter of how much we're willing to compromise in order to win victories or crumbs.

This again proves how it is problematic to lobby the state and put all our efforts in legislation to pass. We should know that this political route is always filled with racism, opportunism, betrayals and nightmares. History repeats itself once again.

So if I support the DREAM Act, does this mean I am okay with our people being used as political pawns? Does this mean that my hands will be smeared with the same bloodshed the U.S. spills all over the world? Does this mean I am okay with blaming my mother and my father for migrating "illegally" to the U.S.? Am I willing to surrender to all that in exchange for a benefit? Maybe it's easier for me to say that "I can" because I have papers, right? I'd like to think that it's because my political principles will not allow me to do so, regardless of my citizenship status or personal benefit at stake. Strong movements that achieve greater victories are those that stand in solidarity with all oppressed people of the world and never gain access to rights at the expense of other oppressed groups.

I have come to a deeply painful decision: I can no longer in good political conscience support the DREAM Act because the essence of a beautiful dream has been detained by a colonial nightmare seeking to fund and fuel the U.S. empire machine.

I am so sorry and so enraged that this larger political context has deferred those dreams of justice and equality that we all share.

In tears, rage, love and sorrow,

-r

SAVE THE DATE!

2010-09-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

LEAP Education Conference & Legislative Day
February 24 - 26, 2011
Hotel Murano * Olympia

More information to follow

Vote on the DREAM Act?

2010-07-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

There have been reports that Senate Majority Leaders Henry Reid is considering bring the DREAM Act to a vote, for more information follow the link below

http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2010/07/reid-considering-dream-act-vote-before-election.html

Chillin’, Grillin’, and ... Postsecondary Education?

2010-07-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

Side Note: REMINDER! LSU is having a fundraiser at the Panda Express in Burien Saturday July 31st, all you have to do is order some food and part of the proceeds will go to LSU. If that isn't enough motivation for you, below is a great reason why we should support this group.

LSU has done it again. On Sunday May 30, 2010, Latin@s Stand Up! Movement, better known as LSU (Movimiento Latin@s Arriba, in Spanish) had their 4th Annual Barbecue.

This group of Latino students from Global Connections High School in the Highline School District, was founded in 2006 by a couple of students after attending the LEAP Conference. “The LSU mission is to motivate Latin@ students to go for a higher education, prevent them from dropping out of high school, and college awareness. LSU also wishes to help the Latino community make good decisions and help increase their opportunity for a better life.”

Every year, among hosting other events, LSU celebrates the end of the school year with a BBQ for the Latino families in the community. In the past, the focus had been Global Connection students and families. This year the word spread to other members of the community whose children would soon attend high school.

“Me parece un muy buen grupo...me gustaría que mis hijas se involucraran en esto,” (“I think this is a very good group...I would like my daughters to get involved in this”), said a mother, whose daughters will soon attend high school.

The BBQ was hosted at Angle Lake in the city of SeaTac. Students, parents, friends, and members of the community all enjoyed the delicious food and music. Even Global Connections’ teachers and Principal Rick Harwood joined the celebration. Among them was LSU advisor Jill Weseman, who, along with other teachers, including Jennifer Wittenberg and AJ Campanelli, has supported the club back when it was only an idea. "Over the past four years, the LSU has become a powerful force for positive change in our school and community. The annual Family BBQ has drawn in new members and engaged their families in the work. This year's BBQ was completely planned and facilitated by parents and students, and was the most successful and well-attended it has ever been--despite the rain!"

As usual, the BBQ consisted of student-led workshops. In the past, the guest were divided into three groups and rotated to the different workshops. This year, due to the rain, the workshops were presented to the entire group of attendees.

The first workshop was presented by Rafael Vasquez, Jose Lopez, and Gabriela Osorio; three of the founders of LSU. Their workshop was entitled “Más Allá Del Salón” (Beyond the Classroom). The workshop invited parents to share their educational experiences and reflect on what educational goals they had in the past and whether or not they achieved them. The presenters also talked about what students should expect in college and what impacts college life may have on a students’ culture and points of view.

The second workshop was presented by Senior Yessica Perez. Yessica has been involved in LSU since the very beginning. She joined the group not long after it was created. She will be attending the University of Washington in Tacoma. Her workshop was about the DREAM Act. She had presented the same workshop in the 2010 LEAP Conference.

The third and final workshop was presented by two LSU parent volunteers, Lorena Mendez and Martha Maldonado. They shared their experiences in working with LSU with a slide show of photographs. These photographs reflected the dedication LSU and parent volunteers have had throughout the school year.

The Latin@s Stand Up! Movement had a successful BBQ this year. New faces from both the community and LSU itself brought about rewarding experiences. Nothing less was expected of them. Congratulations and hope next year’s BBQ is just as great.

Brought to you by Gaby Osorio, LEAP Volunteer and Scholarship Recipient

Drumming to the beat of Leadership & Education

2010-07-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

Edward Alfonso Esparza
In Vancouver, WA a mentor for Latinos leads our youth into a path of creativity, passion, and leadership. One of his programs is well recognized. This program is a mixture of empowering the Latino youth as well as using music as means of personal expression. It is none other than One of a Kind Drumline!

What exactly is the program?
One of a Kind Drumline is about leadership through performance which consists of several kids that range from Kindergarten to twelfth grade. Kids learn that the drum is a part of them and can be used to reach success.

It is important act upon good citizenship. To emphasis this, the group does community service. They plant trees and clean around the community.

One of a Kind Drumline promotes education. Last October the youth went online and research different careers; it did not matter what grade they are in, they all did it. That way they can start looking into different career opportunities and see how they can apply their interests with what they can do for careers. Eddie also engaged all his students into the national college fair. They got criticized for taking the younger students. But, Eddie believes that exposing the kids even if they are young is the way to go. That way promotion of higher education is instilled in their young growing minds early on.

Eddie said “expose kids to music, community service, and career research will prepare the youth for what is in store for them as they continue to grow and learn”. He wants to make sure these kids obtain skills to make succession a reality.

What is behind your aspiration to form this program for the youth?
Growing up in poverty, Eddie used the drums to help him deal pain. We all have our own means of dealing with various life experiences. Eddie having a mixture of Native American and Mexican blood running through his veins was tempted by rhymes of the drums. The drums allowed him to overcome a lot and have made him who he is today. Eddie saw the positive impact the drums had with his life and formed this program to make his method of coping with things available.

When did you start the program?
One of his co-workers, Tammy, had a troubled foster child. He reminded Eddie of his own childhood. Eddie was going to teach his son how to play the drums and invited Tammy’s son to join them. They started with having a bunch of broken equipment and gathered kids to play them. Eddie was used to fixing drums; so he would buy stuff from E-Bay and fix them. From then on, they would get more drums and more drums to fix up. Later, they received grants which allowed them to expand their amount of equipment.

What is the foundation of the program and what are you trying to achieve with it?
“If it was not for my drums…I do not know where I would be right now,” Eddie says. Eddie grew up dealing with complex issues and understands that as minorities, we deal with a lot of issues which can either empower us or break us down. He used the drums to empower himself so founded this program to bring out a positive notion of dealing with the complexity of the life of a minority. The program gives the youth tools to empower themselves with.

Do you plan on expanding this program into other regions?
“Yes,” Eddie says, “we do plan on expanding it but first we have to finish establishing the non-profit status.” Their plan is to develop the program to where they are teaching students and providing them with an area to study. He loves all his students equally; but relates to Latinos more because they share the same culture and history. His mission is to serve everyone but especially the Latino youth.

It’s me Dani…bringing you the news from our Communities, Leaders, and Youth

Eat at Burien Panda Express for a Good Cause

2010-07-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

A message from Gaby, one of the many students doing great work in their communities. Please find time to support Latin@s Stand Up, an excellent high school club who work to improve the Latino dropout rates at Global Connections High School (in Sea Tac) by educating Latino parents in their language on important educational issues affecting their student in an un-intimidating location and encouraging parents to partner with the school. Some past LSU events include an annual BBQ for Latino parents, visiting a college classroom, and attending educational conferences.

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Hello Everyone,

Global Connections High School's Latin@s Stand Up Movement (LSU) is having a fundraiser. On Saturday July 31, 2010 from 11am - 10pm present the attached flyer to the Burien Panda Express and 20% of your purchase will be donated to LSU. Please tell your friends, family, and colleagues.

Thanks,

Gaby

Hola a Todos,

El Movimiento Latin@s Arriba de la preparatoria Global Connections estara recaudando fondos. El Sabado 31 de Julio del 2010 presente el volante adjunto al Panda Express de Burien y 20% de su compra sera donado al Movimiento Latin@s Arriba. Favor de pasar este correo a sus amigos, familiares y colegas.

Gracias,

Gaby

LEAP in the News

2010-06-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

On Friday, LEAP, the Washington Commission on Hispanic Affairs and Alianza student coalition hosted a leadership forum in Vancouver, WA. Here is an article the Columbian wrote on the forum.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/jun/26/latino-youth-zero-in-on-issues-involvement/

Marysville School Board Member: “Inferior” Students Need Not Apply

2010-06-18T15:10:00.000-07:00

A parent volunteer has brought to our attention, Marysville School Board member, Michael Kundu. Kundu has recently been making headlines based on an email he sent commenting on the achievement gap and "certain ethnic groups possess[ing] biological advantages and disadvantages compared to others, in areas including brain sizes and intelligence levels" (quote taken from Seattle PI news article).

The ACLU in Washington recently an posted an excellent article on their blog in response to this recent situation. You can view the blog by clicking on the link below:

http://www.aclu-wa.org/blog/marysville-school-board-member-inferior-students-need-not-apply

If interested, there will be a Marysville School Board Meeting (4420 80th Street NE, Marysville, WA 98270) at 6:30 pm on Monday June 21st where the school board will vote on Kundu's achievement gap proposal. This meeting is open to public comments.

College Bound Scholarship for 7th and 8th Graders

2010-06-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

Ojo! the deadline for 7th and 8th grade students to sign up for the College Bound scholarship is the 30th of June. Don't miss this great opportunity!

For more information visit the HECB website: http://www.hecb.wa.gov/CBS2010deadline.asp

Follow Up to Daniela, our new LEAP Student Reporter

2010-05-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

A continuation of Daniela "Dani" Najera, our LEAP Student Reporter's leadership influences and background...

My Story:

I am a Latina born and raised in a small agricultural town in the North Central Washington called Brewster. I was born to an undocumented immigrant who raised me and my two sisters as a single mother. I may not have had a father or much money growing up but love and inspiration was always by my side. I was always a leader within my friends and liked being in charge of things. Later on in life, I began seeing the reality of life. I was growing up and saw how people were treated differently based on class, race, gender, and legal status. I was eight when I told my mom I was going to become a lawyer and help her fix her papers.

During my early teen years, I began to rebel. I did things I should not have done; disobeying my mom so many times. I know karma happens and believe me karma hit me hard or at least I thought it did. My mom was taken away from me, my family, and community on November 2007 one cold fall night when ICE surprisingly knocked at my house and walked in. That day forever scared my life and the lives of my household. For a while I was depressed and blamed myself for being a bad daughter and not appreciating my mom for all her worth. With the help of my Aunt Elvia and friends, I realized it wasn’t my fault and that God allowed this to happen for a reason. So I decided to learn from the adversity and take it as a sign to change my rebel ways and strive even more to graduate, go to college, and make it in this world not only for my sake but for my mother’s sake as well.

I could not be where I am today if it was not for all the love and support I have received. I have chosen to get educated and make something of myself to show that all the love and support I have received did not go to waste. Love and support work as my soul’s battery to keep me going no matter what my struggle is. Hardships are never easy to face. Pain does not decrease as the frequency of hardships increases. I have taken many falls; but with the falls, I regained strength to pick myself up and continue my journey to what will one day be my destiny. Adversity has given me a better perceptive of my dreams, my reality, and how to make my dreams my reality. Nothing in life is eternal. Adversity will continue throughout my life; I have learned the hard way I will lose a lot of what I love. I must and will stay positive. God has a purpose for me and allows things to happen for a reason. Adversity and pain exist to push me to grow and prepare me to learn, live, and lead. Despite life’s ups and downs, only I shall decide what I want my life to be; thus I shall strive to make my want my only reality!

Role Models:

My role models are the two women who raised me, my mom Maria Ignacia Martinez and her sister Maria Elvia Martinez. They both have sacrificed so much for our family. In the U.S., my mom worked in the sheds and orchards. She is always willing to help, expecting nothing in return. Being the oldest, my mom was like another mother to her siblings. She did not have the chance to get far in her education but she was a leader in our community and church. My aunt graduated from high school in Mexico. When she came to the U.S. she worked the same jobs my mom worked. Later on, she went to college and became a certified Registered Nurse. Today she is the school nurse for the Brewster School District. As I get older, I am finding out more about the life stories of these two women. They both have gone through their own adversities and remain standing strong as they hold on proudly to their native roots.

Her Goals:

Become a lawyer of civil law and defend the human rights of all. My ultimate goal is to become a leader of this world and make an emphasis for human rights that will strike profoundly and thus bring change so desperately need not just to this country but to the world. It is a very ambitious goal but I’m still young and if God allows me time, I will get educated enough to pursue my goal and make it a reality!

Mt Vernon LEAP Club hosted Retirement Dinner for Rep. Dave Quall

2010-05-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

On May 18th, Representative Dave Quall, an amazing state representative and a big supporter of LEAP, was surprised by students of the Mount Vernon High School Latino Leaders Club (aka LEAP Club). After 18 years serving as the representative for the 40th District, Quall has chosen to retire. This dinner was to celebrate and appreciate his service in the state legislature.

Students organized and prepared a delicious meal of mole, enchiladas with rice and beans for Rep. Quall, a true champion for students in the state legislature. Students also invited MVHS Superintendent Carl Brunner, Skagit Valley College President Dr. Gary Tollefson, Representative Jeff Morris and others who all describe memorable Quall moments.

LEAP Club members wrote a dedication in the program that read:

Some of us have seen Representative Quall in Olympia for the past few years when we go there for legislative day during the state LEAP conference. He always takes time to talk to students from MVHS, and we especially like taking pictures with him.

We have learned that he cares a lot about futures and we appreciate very much that he wants to see all of us have the ability to go to college and be able to have good jobs.

We feel that we are fortunate to have a represenative like Dave Quall and we wish that he wouldn't retire. He inspires us to want to keep a positive attitude and never give up even when things are difficult for some of us.

Thank you Representative Quall for being who we have learned you are - an individual with courage and a passion for helping others. We hope you will continue to come and talk to students involved in the LEAP Club at MVHS. You will always be welcome.

At the end of the ceremony, LEAP Club President José Sánchez and Vice President Fanny Silverio presented Rep. Quall with an award. Rep Quall told students of all the retirement dinner he's attended, this was the best one.

Meet LEAP’s New Student Reporter – Daniela Alejandra Najera!

2010-05-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

Daniela is LEAP’s new Student Reporter and a current University of Washington freshman from Brewster, Washington. She is majoring in Political Science and American Ethnic Studies; and minoring in Education and Diversity. Daniela will be finding time in her busy schedule to interview Latino youth and bringing to you many of the exciting and interesting things Latino students are doing in Washington state.

Daniela has extensive leadership skills and served as one of the LEAP Conference planning committee member. She has also:

- served as her class president for 3 years,
- was a Junior Counselor at La Cima Bilingual Leadership Camp,
- a GEAR UP Camp Junior Counselor, and
- is currently involved with the UW Latino Student Union.

But its not all business with Daniela, she loves to sing, dance, and is one mean baker. She enjoys jogging but especially loves soccer, whether it’s playing, watching, recording stats, or being the manager or stats keeper of the team.

Daniela likes to express herself through her writing and says:

As I think, I have this vision of my idea and want to express it to reflect the vision in my head; so others can see and feel what I see and feel. I like expressing myself through writing because it is a way of keeping a tangible record of important things and I enjoy looking back at what I have written (diaries, journals, papers/essays, poems, etc). A record of the past influences the future and keeps memories alive. As LEAP reporter, I will keep a record of LEAP activity to inform others of what is going on with LEAP and to have documentation of the actions LEAP is taking. I want to assure that when I no longer exist, ideas, belief, and memories important to me still remain; I can guarantee this will be through writing. The life of one’s body is not eternal but a piece of writing is and can carry so much life within it.

We are very proud to have Daniela as part of the LEAP Team and we will bring you more on this amazing leader at a later time.

Senator Dick Durbin, Illinois, supports students who would qualify under the DREAM Act

2010-04-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

U.S. Senator Richard (Dick) Durbin from Illinois, one of the main sponsors of the DREAM Act, recently sent a letter to Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, urging her to defer the deportations of students who would be eligible for residency under provisions of the DREAM Act.

This we see as a precursor to his effort to get the DREAM Act passed this year. Please join us in thanking Senator Durbin for his leadership letting him know we support passage of the DREAM Act as a first step in comprehensive immigration reform.

Given the mood of the country following the divisive healthcare reform debate, proceeding carefully and thoughtfully on immigration reform is a reasonable and wise strategy.

Here is a link to see Senator Durbin’s correspondence to Secretary Napolitano.
http://durbin.senate.gov/showRelease.cfm?releaseId=324015

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SENATOR DURBIN TO HEAR THAT HIS EFFORTS ARE APPRECIATED.

Please thank Senator Durbin for his leadership by phone, fax or email at:

(202) 224-2152 - ph
(202) 228-0400 – fx

email: http://durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Advisory Board Meeting April 16th

2010-03-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

The LEAP advisory board consists of teachers, administrators, community members, and students from all over Washington state. LEAP's advisory board meets 2 to 3 times a year to develop LEAP's educational policy priorities and discuss important topics centered on improving the academic achievements for students.

The Advisory Board meeting is a great way for students, and others in the community, to participate and have their voices heard. The Advisory Board meetings are used as a time to reflect on recent LEAP activities and how we can improve our efforts. We discuss different educational situations affecting Latino students and begin thinking how we can affect policy through our yearly recommended educational policy priorities. Sometimes these priorities are complex, such as SB 6778 (alternative graduation requirements), other times they are local efforts to federal bills (seeking sign resolutions from school boards in support of the DREAM Act), other times it is controversial but much needed (in state tuition for 1079 students) but all seek to increase the number of Latino students in Washington state who are graduating from high school, continuing their education beyond high school and excelling in their efforts.

As students, sometimes we are intimidated by these types of meetings but we are an open group and enjoy hearing what students have to say. You are the ones living the situations that we want to improve and would like to know how it may affect you. Some of the concepts discussed might be difficult to follow (believe me, I still have difficulties) but the more you attend, the more accustomed you become.

If you are planning to be near Central Washington University on April 16th, take a moment out of your day to join us at Shaw 113 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm.

Leadership 1000 scholarship deadline May 1st

2010-03-22T22:32:00.000-07:00

The College Success Foundation is accepting applications for their Leadership 1000 scholarship. Open to all students. The deadline is May 1st.

CSF Application Portal

DREAMACTIVIST » Washington State Youth Come Out on Video

2010-03-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

For students and others interested in Washington state's efforts to pass the DREAM Act, check out the newly formed Washington DREAM Act Coalition (www.wdac.info). They recently were recognized by DREAM Activist, a national organization, for the video they created asking for Senator Cantwell and Murray to push harder for the DREAM Act (both are co-signers of the DREAM Act).

DREAMACTIVIST » Washington State Youth Come Out on Video

Sea Mar Scholarship

2010-02-23T15:29:00.000-08:00

There is still time to apply to the Sea Mar scholarship open to migrant high school and college students. Its a great scholarship that can be used for tuition, books, food, transportation, phone calls home or registration fees to an awesome conference like the 2011 LEAP Conference :) The deadline is approaching quick, so make sure you have already started on your personal statement. Also ojo! it says the application must be RECEIVED by March 26th, not postmarked.

For more information, read below
LEAP
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Each year, Sea Mar awards one-time $1,000 scholarships to students in Washington who are of migrant or seasonal farm worker* backgrounds. In the past three years, more than 60% of applicants were awarded scholarships.

If you are awarded one of these scholarships, you may use the money for anything you need while enrolled in a post-secondary program, such as a college, technical school, or professional training program. Eligible expenses include tuition, food, housing, and transportation.

The application deadline this year is Friday, March 26, 2010. Don't wait! Download the high school student application packet or the college student application packet and fill it out today. Mail, fax, or email the form, your personal statement, and your transcript to:

Scholarship Committee
c/o Colleen Lee
Sea Mar Community Health Centers
1040 S. Henderson St.
Seattle WA 98108
Fax: 206-788-3204
Email: colleenlee@seamarchc.org

*For the purpose of awarding these scholarships, a migrant farm worker is an individual whose principal employment is seasonal agriculture and who travels to work and lives in a different community while working. A seasonal farm worker is an individual whose principal employment is agricultural labor and who resides all year in one community. Farm workers do not include farm, ranch, feedlot, or food- or meat-processing plant owners/operators.

Thank you!

2010-02-23T15:27:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all who attended, volunteered or in any way contributed to the 2010 LEAP Conference.

We had a great time and hope to post pictures here right away.

Photo of some of the LEAP Volunteers from Eastern Washington University, Central Washington University, Centralia College, University of Washington, Aviation School, Highline Community College, Sea Mar and Dr. Loco

Going to the 2010 LEAP Conference?

2010-01-26T17:08:00.000-08:00

We at LEAP would like to know what students are thinking before attending the conference. Provide your answers in the comment section of this post to any or all the questions below:

1. What are your expectations about the LEAP conference? Any? None? Need answers? Tell us.

2. What do you know about the LEAP Conference, and what do you hope to learn from your involvement this year? What do you hope to take back to your school/community?

3. What would YOU like to ask or tell your representatives?

4. What are your current college plans? What are some questions you have about college? What do you hope to learn at the Academic Showcase?

5. Who are you hoping to meet? Other students? Dr. Loco? LEAP? Particular speakers?

6. What questions do you have about Legislative Day? What are you hoping to learn or accomplish at Legislative Day?

See you in February!

Need more info on the LEAP Conference? www.leapwa.org

SEMY seeking Donations & Applications for Scholarship

2010-01-20T17:00:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone,

I hope this email finds you in good health.

I want to invite you to please encourage students to apply for our scholarship. As of right now, we only have about $500 in funds; however, we have a couple of fundraisers in the horizon and more pledges starting this next month, as well as a matching donation of $1000 from the Washington Apple Foundation. Our goal is to have at least $2000 for our 2010-2011 scholaships winners.

Application information-- Please encourage students to apply for these scholarships. http://www.waef.org/files/documents/WAEF_Universal_Scholarship_Application.pdf

Donation information--feel free to make a check out to WAEF and mail to: WAEF, 2900 Euclid Avenue, Wenatchee, WA 98801 OR go to their website and do the contribution online. If you chose to do the contribution online you can go to WAEF.org, allocate the donation to "other" and then designate it to the Migrant Student Leadership and Academic Scholarship.

Thank you in advance for contributing to our scholarship and sharing the application with students.

Con respeto y cariño,

Isabel

New Scholarship from Western Union Foundation

2010-01-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

Just learned about this new interesting scholarship called the Family Scholarship Program from Western Union Foundation (thank you DREAM Activist for the info).

There is no citizenship requirement but 2 members of your family must apply, for instance, yourself and your father or sister. Here is the link for more detailed information http://foundation.westernunion.com/ourProgramsScholarships.html

Summary of Comprehensive Immigration Reform from DREAM Activist, with Special Emphasis on the DREAM Act

2009-12-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

Today we got to participate in the DREAM Activist conference call to clarify key aspects of the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP) introduced by Representative Luis Gutierrez (IL-4) yesterday, with a special focus on the DREAM Act components. Here are a few items that were discussed

Quick summary of CIR ASAP:

Two phases to apply for legal residency
1. Temporary conditional non-immigration status. During this phase, must:
• Pay application fee (to be determined)
• Fine of $500
• Complete background check by DHS
o Once cleared, DHS will provide a work authorization and travel permission
• No serious crimes committed by applicant
2. Adjustment to status
• Prove contributions to community with evidence, such as paid taxes
• Must wait 6 years after enactment of CIR ASAP to achieve residency.
• Once given permanence residency, must wait 5 years before can apply for citizenship.

How is this the same or different for DREAM Act students?
Much of the requirements are the same as the current stand alone DREAM Act bill:
• Brought to US before the age of 16
• Have lived in the US for 5 yrs
• Be of good moral character
During the second phase of legalization, students will need to have completed:
• A 2-year degree
• 2 years of a 4 year degree
• Serve 2 years in the military; and what is new
• Have been employed 2 years before the enactment of CIR ASAP
DREAMers will not be required to pay the $500 fine and can apply for their citizenship 3 years after receiving permanent residency.

My only question here would be, what would be considered employment for students, what type of documents do they need to prove they were employed and finally, will their employers be faced with a fine for hiring the students?

Some of the questions submitted by participants of the conference call.

What happens to students who are already in grad school or already in college? They will have to apply for conditional non immigrant status like everyone else. As soon as they enter the second phase, can apply for permanent residency because already have 2 yr of 4 yr degree.

Can you give example and timing applying for residency for students?
If bill is enacted – lets say it happens March 1st. Application process started in September 1st. Collect document in Phase 1, then submit more requirements in Phase 2. Toward beginning of, the application period, when biometrics are reviewed (DHS clears individual), student will be given work permission and travel. CIS clears application then make the student a conditional non-immigrant. Next step would be filing for permanent residency as soon as students meets one requirement of 2 yrs degree toward 4 year degree, 2 years in the military or 2 years of work.
January 1st 2011 soon as finish 2 year of requirements of DREAM Act, say in June 2011, student can apply for permanent residence in January 2012. 2 years later, student can apply for citizenship. It is a more accelerated process than the process for all undocumented individuals.

What does conditional non-immigrate status mean?
It might mean – Non-immigrant status is someone who is given temporary residence like a tourist or student visa, professional visa. Conditional immigration is someone who has an expired visa. People who fall under CIR ASAP are not given regular non-immigrant status but calling it conditional because still have to show other requirements in the future.

For students who face deportation, how does it affect them?
If someone is in removal proceeding, there is no difference. But if student receives a removal order before the age of 16, student would still be eligible under the DREAM Act provision. Prior deportation order does not affect student to apply for legalization.

Summary and answers were provided by Mark Silverman, Director of Immigration Policy, Immigrant Legal Resource Center. If there are any burning questions you have, please respond to this post and we will try to find the answer to your question.

LEAP

Design the new 2010 DREAM Act Postcard

2009-12-14T12:38:00.000-08:00

DreamActivist has announced its "I have a DREAM" Postcard Contest," where they are asking individuals to design their 2010 DREAM Act Postcard.

Follow the link below for more details:

www.dreamactivist.org/postcard/

Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the DREAM Act

2009-12-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act will be reintroduced on Tuesday, Dec. 15th by Representative Luis Gutierrez (IL-3).

Many have asked us, what does this mean for the DREAM Act?
LEAP supports the DREAM Act as a stand alone bill but is very interested how CIRA will affect the DREAM Act. We will be participating in the call hosted by the DREAM Activist tomorrow at 3 PM to get clarification on key aspects of the CIRA.

If you would like to listen to this conversation, click below to sign up to get the call-in information and submit your questions to the representatives of DREAM Activist. http://action.dreamactivist.org/cir_call. Space is limited so RSVP ASAP to reserve your place on this call.

Also, take a moment to listen to NPR segment on the DREAM Act and Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act from July 2009. It raises some interesting questions and opinions.

Prestigious Scholarship Awarded to Manuel Garcia

2009-12-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

We at LEAP are very proud of our LEAPster from Mount Vernon, Manuel Garcia, for being selected for admission to Washington and Lee University with a QuestBridge College Match scholarship. This wonderful scholarship will provide Manuel with up to $40,000 per year and it will cover the full cost of his room and board.

There were 267 finalists matched with QuestBridge College Match awards at 27 colleges, with a total of 15 students, Manuel included, admitted as Quest Scholars at Washington and Lee, a private liberal arts college in Virginia.

Once again, congratulations to Manuel for his hard work and dedication. We wish him all the luck.

Papers the Movie at UW

2009-11-24T15:46:00.000-08:00

This last Friday I and, surprisingly a large number of LEAPsters, were present at the screening of Papers the movie at Kane Hall at the University of Washington. The movie featured an excellent set of diverse students in different parts of the country. The movie had a combination of basic information for people who were not as familiar with the topic, statistics, and interviews with the featured students, lawyers, elected officials at the state and national level, and teachers.

Following the movie, a panel of 5 were asked to comment on the movie and discuss this topic from their point of views. Those on the panel were Roberto Gonzalez, UW Professor in the School of Social Work, Jorge Alonso Chehade, a recent UW graduate from the School of Business, Sergio Salinas, President of SEIU Local 6; Siovhan Sheridan-Ayala, immigration attorney who was featured in the movie; and a pastor from the Skagit Valley whose name I did not catch.

There were 3 panelist that I found most effective. Roberto Gonazlez said students should continue their education regardless if they are unable to currently work using their degrees. He shared a story of a young student who was undocumented, who received her Masters in Teaching then received her teaching certificate and 3 days later received her work visa and shortly her permanent residency. His point was: where would you like to be when your legal status changes either due to the DREAM Act or through other methods...with a college degree ready to start your career or barely beginning your education? Jorge Alonso Chehade talked about how his family always commented on his luck and he never thought "can I go to college" but "how far can I go." He spoke of his upcoming deportation and how he plans to fight to stay in this country even in the airport terminal. Most importantly, he encouraged everyone to look at difficult situations with humor. Lastly, the pastor expressed how the most difficult event in his life was when he took 2 children to visit their mother in a detention center and were not allowed to touch her. He then challenged everyone in the audience not to be afraid of their neighbors in seeking their support for the DREAM Act and for comprehension immigration reform.

We thank all LEAPsters who had the courage to ask the panelist important questions. We at LEAP will continue in our efforts to pass the DREAM Act and HB 1706.

Past Dreamies of the Week at DREAM Activist

2009-11-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

Comments from Dreamie of the Week - Luis Ortega and Manuel Garcia

http://intensedebate.com/postRSS/14935772

White House Initiative on Education Excellence for Hispanic Americans in Yakima

2009-11-13T11:39:00.000-08:00

November 9th, 2009

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/11/10/ear-at-the-white-house

New migrant student scholarship seeking donations

2009-11-13T09:57:00.000-08:00

A Dream for Justice On Hold

2009-11-05T14:27:00.000-08:00

This is an older report about Lucy Bottomley which provides a different face and circumstance to a possible DREAM Act recipient.

An Unfinished Dream Trailer Video by Margarita Reyes - MySpace Video

2009-11-05T13:58:00.000-08:00

An Unfinished Dream Trailer

Margarita Reyes | MySpace Video

2010 LEAP Education Conference & Legislative Day

2009-10-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

We are still in the process of planning and will have more information soon.

Hope to see you all there!

2009-08-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today I met with a friend who has finished his bachelors degree; we were talking about some projects that he has going which one of those is DREAM Act. As we are having this conversation I think about what am I going to do if by when I graduate this bill has not passed. (By the way I am barely going to start college in the fall.) I somewhat discourage but at the same time I have motivation because just like my friend who is a 1079 student I see hope. Hope because I am not alone there are thousands of other students in the same situation and slowly but surely we are making progress with DREAM Act and other laws that will help these kind of students like myself.

Submitted by a LEAP student

2009-07-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

Dreams have been the subject of great speeches, the foundation of powerful movements, the beginning of prosperous corporations, and throughout history, to many, dreams have been the reason to live one day longer…

To me and thousands of other students, dreaming is all we have left…

This is the reality of undocumented students:

We came with our parents, who risked their lives by embarking in search of the American Dream. We grew as children of this nation, knowing this country as our home, and for many of us, this is our only home. We went to school, playing and learning with other children, hoping and dreaming about college. We graduated from high school, some of us even graduated from college, prepared to serve and work for our community. And now, we do the only thing we have left to do - we dream.

We dream because we believe that everyone deserves the right to access higher education. We dream because we know that the greatest joy of learning is to know that our education will serve others. We dream because we are not ready to give up what we believe is a human right. We dream for so many others who can’t dream and we dream because there is hope: The DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act (S. 729, H.R. 1751) is a bipartisan legislation that has the power to change the lives of thousands of students, and at the same time to improve our communities and empower the whole nation. The DREAM Act is not a free pass for undocumented students, it is an opportunity for us to prove to this nation that we are ready to serve and work for this country. We want to become social workers, business owners, lawyers, teachers, engineers, and doctors. We want to stand side by side with our neighbors to make sure that our communities prosper in these times of economic difficulty. We want to inspire new generations and push forward our nation in the face of any adversity.

For all this reasons we need the DREAM Act and we are ready to work hard to make sure that it passes this year. Now, more than ever, there is an amazing and inspiring national effort to support the DREAM Act. We are doing our part in Washington State. With the strong support of the Latino/a Educational Achievement Project (LEAP) and Alianza Student Coalition, a group of student organizations came together to work on encouraging our congressional delegation to co-sponsor and champion the DREAM Act. Our student coalition, named Education for All Committee, includes student organizations from the University of Washington, Seattle Central Community College, South Seattle Community College, Highline Community College, Seattle School District, and Highline School District.

Through our collaborative efforts we have called and sent letters to all the members of our congressional delegation. We are happy and proud that our two Senators, Sen. Maria Cantwell and Sen. Patty Murray, are co-sponsors of the DREAM Act. We are also glad that three of our Congressional Representatives, Rep. Jim McDermott, Rep. Adam Smith, and Rep. Rick Larsen, are co-sponsors. However, we have more work to do, there are six more congressional representatives that are yet to become co-sponsors of the DREAM Act. In addition, we also want to encourage board of trustees, board of directors, school boards, business leaders, presidents of educational institutions, and other organizations to join the long list of supporters by officially endorsing the DREAM Act.

For more information or to get involved with the group, please contact us at:
education-for-all-committee@googlegroups.com

We welcome your support and we are ready to work with you. We will continue doing our part.

Let’s keep dreaming with the hope that not far from today we will wake up in our dreams.
United we dream, united we prosper.

Luis Ortega

DREAM Act

2009-06-23T19:59:00.000-07:00

Ricardo Sanchez, founder of LEAP, providing an overview of the DREAM Act to the attendees at the 2009 LEAP Education Conference & Legislative Day in Tacoma.

Introducing LEAP's new blog!

2009-05-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Introducing LEAP's new blog! Our blog is a way for us to connect with students by asking students to post their poems, videos, essays, etc. or letting us know what you are doing in your community.

We will be featuring guest LEAPster who will write about their experiences with LEAP and anything else they might feel you will benefit from. They will be answering question and providing advice. Please be respectful in your comments and have fun and be creative with our new blog.

If there is anything that you want us to include in our blog, let us know at info@leapwa.org. Also visit our web site at www.leapwa.org

Hasta pronto!