ICHA

2nd IDAHO SUMMIT ON EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE ABOUT HISPANIC STUDENTS

Summit Description

The “Idaho Summit on Educational Excellence About Hispanic Affairs” provided educators, community leaders, policy makers, and interested members of the public with a forum for networking and exchanging information about current education issues and needs within Idaho’s Hispanic community and possible solutions.

• Decrease dropout rates among Hispanic students / increase Hispanic student retention




• Close the academic achievement gap between Hispanic and non Hispanic students




• Access to and Equity in Higher Education

Summit Presentations in 2010

Dr. Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana, U.S. Department of Education
Mr. José A. Rico, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans
Sarita E. Brown, Excelencia in Education
Rita Jaramillo, National Education Association
Marcela Montes, National Council of La Raza
Miriam Soto Pressley American Federation of Teachers
Araceli Simeón-Luna, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)

 

• Dr. Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education

  Dr. Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana was confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary education at the Department of Education by the U.S. Senate on July 24, 2009. In this position, she plays a pivotal role in policy and management issues affecting elementary and secondary education. She directs, coordinates and recommends policy for programs designed to assist state and local education agencies with improving the achievement of elementary and secondary school students. She helps ensure equal access to services leading to such improvement for all children, particularly children who are economically disadvantaged. She fosters educational improvement at the state and local levels, and provides financial assistance to local education agencies whose local revenues are affected by federal activities. She also serves as the principal adviser to the U.S. secretary of education on all matters related to pre-k, elementary and secondary education.

  For more information on her presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• José A. Rico, Deputy Director

  José Antonio Rico is the deputy director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Named to his post on Feb. 1, 2010, Rico helps carry out President Obama’s efforts to improve the academic achievement of Hispanic students. He came to the Department as a senior adviser in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education on April 29, 2009.

  For more information on his presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Sarita E. Brown, President

  Has spent more than two decades at prominent national educational institutions and at the highest levels of government, working to implement effective strategies to raise academic achievement and opportunity for low-income and minority students. She started her career at the University of Texas, Austin by building a national model promoting minority success in graduate education followed by appointments with educational associations in Washington, DC. From 1997-2000 she served as Executive Director of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans under President Clinton and U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley.

  Maintaining her commitment to improving the quality of education, Ms. Brown applied her talents and experience to the not for-profit sector as Founding President of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute and, since 2004, as Founding President of Excelencia in Education. Excelencia in Education is a 501(c) 3 working to accelerate Latino success in higher education by linking research, policy, and practice to serve Latino students.

  For more information on her presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• María Rita Jaramillo, Senior Liaison

  María Rita Jaramillo serves as Senior Liaison, Community Outreach, Office of Governance and Policy, where she focuses on outreach to the Hispanic community. In this capacity, Jaramillo assists NEA in developing new partnerships and joint activities with national and local Hispanic groups around both education and community interests.

  For more information on her presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Marcela Montes, MS. NCLR Project Coordinator

  Marcela Montes, MS. NCLR As a Project Coordinator for the Education Programs Components at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), Marcela has coordinated research efforts and data collection on after-school programs as well as established the NCLA Expanded Learning Time Network. She has gained extensive knowledge in civic engagement, human rights and education through work experiences at organizations such as the Washington Office on Latin America, the Organization of American States and the Colombian National Chapter of Transparency International. Marcela holds a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland at College Park and a M.A. in Latin American Studies from Tulane University.

  For more information on her presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Miriam Soto Pressley, Elementary School Teacher

  Miriam Soto Pressley, an elementary school teacher in Hammond, Indiana.  She's been part of our ELL nationwide advisory board since 2004, and was recently nominated to be an advisor to the national core standards project headed by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association.

  For more information on her presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Araceli Simeón-Luna, National Director of the Parent School Partnership Program

  Araceli Simeón-Luna is the National Director of the Parent School Partnership Program with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the civil rights of Latinos in the United States. The Parent School Partnership program (PSP) is designed for parents to learn how to navigate the public educational system and how to become effective advocates to help their children attain educational success.

  For more information on her presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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IDAHO SUMMIT ON EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE ABOUT HISPANIC STUDENTS

White-Paper Report Please click on the picture

Summit Description

This event provided educators, community leaders, policy makers, and interested members of the public with a forum for networking and exchanging information about current education issues and needs within Idaho’s Hispanic community.

Tracks:

• Closing the Academic Achievement Gap




• Dropout Prevention and Retention




• Access to and Equity in Higher Education

Summit Presentations in 2008

Sarita E. Brown
Honorable Judge Sergio Gutierrez
Dr. Fernanda Brendefur and Wendy St. Michell
Ray Serrano
Alex Gonzalez
Arnold Hernandez
Dr. Carolyn Hondo
Everardo Torrez

• Sarita E. Brown, Excelencia in Education

Has spent more than two decades at prominent national educational institutions and at the highest levels of government, working to implement effective strategies to raise academic achievement and opportunity for low-income and minority students. She started her career at the University of Texas at Austin by building a national model promoting minority success in graduate education followed by appointments with educational associations in Washington, DC. From 1997-2000 she served as Executive Director of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans under President Clinton and U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley. Maintaining her commitment to improving the quality of education, Ms. Brown applied her talents and experience to the not for-profit sector as Founding President of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute and, since 2004, as Founding President of Excelencia in Education. Excelencia in Education is a 501(c) 3 working to accelerate Latino success in higher education by linking research, policy, and practice to serve Latino students.

Latino Students and America’s Future
Latino Student Success (LSS) Inquiry Model

For more information on presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Honorable Judge Sergio Gutierrez

Idaho Court of Appeals Chief Judge Sergio A. Gutierrez Judge Gutierrez is married to the former Mary Cuevas. They have four children, a foster son and two grandchildren. He is a graduate from Job Corps, where he obtained his G.E.D. He received a B.A. degree in Elementary Education from Boise State University. He attended Hastings Law School, University of California, where he obtained his Juries Doctor degree. His law practice experience includes employment with Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc., with the firm of Park, Costello and Burkett and operating a solo practice. He served as District Judge from 1993 to 2002. He was appointed to the Court of Appeals in January of 2002.

Latino Youth Dropout Rate

For more information on presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Dr. Fernanda Brendefur, Idaho Department of Education

• Wendy St. Michell, Idaho State Board of Education

Dr. Brendefur is the Title III/LEP Coordinator at the Idaho State Department of Education. Fernanda personally knows the unique linguistic, academic and cultural needs of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students as she was a LEP student herself. Fernanda’s family moved to the U.S. from Santiago, Chile when she was seven years old and school was a struggle for her until she became proficient in her social and academic English. Her experiences ignited a passion for teaching LEP and migrant students the English language, academic content, and multiculturalism. Fernanda was an ESL and Spanish teacher for six years and taught at Boise State University for five years.

Fernanda received her Ed.D. and Masters from Boise State University in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Bilingual/ESL/Multicultural Education and her B.A. from the University of California at Irvine in Comparative Literature and Spanish.

Wendy St. Michell has been working for the Idaho State Board of Education for 4 years. She implemented the current LEP program, as well as the Idaho English Language Assessment (IELA) at the Board. Wendy now runs the IELA and helps on issues with ELL students on the Idaho Standards Achievement Tests. Wendy has her bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish from Whitworth College and a Master’s degree in International Education from The American University.

“Using Idaho English Language Development Standards for English Language Learners”

For more information on presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Ray Serrano

Ray Serrano is instructor at Boise State University's ABE program.

Ganas Dinero e Información: Addressing Access and Equity in Higher Education

For more information on presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Alex Gonzalez

Alexander Gonzalez, Northwest Education and Loan Association (NELA) Center for Student Success Community Outreach Coordinator, Oregon Alex Gonzalez assists in counseling activities and outreach work for the Oregon center. Prior to joining NELA, he served for two years as an AmeriCorp member and on-site program coordinator for the ASPIRE program. Alex graduated from the University of Oregon.

Paying for College: Made Easy

For more information on presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Arnold Hernandez, College of Idaho

Arnold Hernandez was born in Monterey Nuevo Leon, Mexico. At the age of seven his family migrated to Texas. Three years later, a compadre of the family convinced them to migrate to “El Norte”, where his family could find work in the fields. After migrating between Oregon, Washington and Idaho his family ultimately settled in Wilder, Idaho. “El Norte” offered them the opportunity to work and allowed their family to grow. Arnold was the second oldest of fourteen children, he left his ninth grade year in school in order to provide support for his family. The fields became his source of income.

Five years later he enrolled at Boise State University, graduating with a degree in Elementary Education Arnold moved on to work as a counselor for the College Assistance Migrant Program. He has devoted his time and efforts to the Multi-Cultural Department at the College of Idaho for the past fourteen years. As the Director he now helps open doors for current, and future students on their journey through higher education.

Workshop Little Pond Big Pond

For more information on presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Dr. Carolyn Hondo, Ph.D - Burley High School

Carolyn Hondo, Ph.D., is Assistant Principal, Burley High School. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Idaho (2005) and taught for 26 years before becoming a school administrator. She has presented papers to the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and published an article in the Idaho School Administrators magazine, Perspectives.

Latino Dropouts in Rural America: Realities and Possibilities

For more information on presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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• Everardo Torrez

Everardo Torrez was born in Michoacán, Mexico in 1972 and grew up on a sugar-beet farm in South Central Idaho. After graduating from Minico High School in 1990, he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Creative Writing from the University of Southern California in 1996 and a Master of Arts in Communication from Boise State University in 2002.

Torrez has been published in Permafrost, Fugue, and Cold-dril. His short stories focus on the cultural polarization and synthesis that defines Mexican and U.S. relations. His debut novel, Narco (Arte Público Press, 2003), exposes the complexities of the illicit drug trade on the U.S./Mexico border.

Torrez has been recognized with the Grand Prize in the fiction contest by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Press and Honorable Mention in the Edward Moses Fiction Contest at the University of Southern California.

Torrez lives in Boise with his wife and two children and is currently working on a new book.

The Equity Gap

For more information on presentation contact lymaris.blackmon@icha.idaho.gov

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