Answer 1

EQ: What is the best way to increase the number of Latino/a students who attend higher educational institutions? 

(1) What is answer 1 to your EQ? Be specific in your answer and write it like a thesis statement.


If community members inform Latino/a students about resources like enrichment programs at an early age, then the number of Latino/a students who attend higher educational institutions will increase. 


(2) What possible evidence do you have to support this answer?

• College Board is a not for profit organization that supervises the SAT, SAT II, etc. and even they see the need to increase the number of Latinos/as in college. Written by professors in CSU Sacramento and UC Davis Professor it entails the step by step process for Latinos/as to attend college. They believe that a relationship must be fostered with Latino parents, communities, and schools by:

1. a two-way communication process;

2. support of the child, family, and the school;

3. a process to learn about each other, and how to work

together;

4. sharing teaching responsibilities; and

5. collaborating in decision making and advocacy. School

and community partners should engage these techniques

in daily practices.

• My own experience by having my 6th grade teacher inform me about a non-profit organization, Uncommon Good, helped me learn about the college process. Now for my service learning I am working with them and I am able to inform elementary students about the program, and get them excited about going to college! It really helped me a lot, and honestly I would have no clue what I would do without a program like this. 
• The Influence of Academic Support on Latino Adolescents' Academic Motivation is an article that looks for the major influences of academic motivation on Latino/a students. It found that for boys the dad was seen as a more significant role model and for girls the mother was seen as a more significant role model. However, for both genders the teachers were equally important. This is important because it shows how each one can impact the lives of the students. The community has to equally be active in the lives of the students in order to motivate them to pursue college. 

(3) What source(s) did you find this evidence and/or answer?

• Carlos Nevares and Timo Rico. Latino Education: A senthesis of Recurring Recommendations in P-16 Education. 2007. College Board. http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/Latino-Education-A-Synthesis.pdf. 
• Service Learning with Carlos Carrillo (program coordinator) from Uncommon Good.
• Alfaro, Edna C., Adriana J. Umaña-Taylor, and Mayra Y. Bámaca. "The Influence of Academic Support on Latino Adolescents' Academic Motivation." Family Relations55.3 (2006): 279-91. OmniFile Full Text Mega. Web. 20 Oct. 2011.

Service Learning

• Where are you working for your service learning?
• I am working at a non-profit ogranization, Uncommon Good, that is located in Claremont, CA and serves the Inland Valley. I am personally assisting Carlos Carrillo who is the program coordinator there. 
• What is your contact?
• My contact is Carlos Carrillo, the contact information is provided in the list of contacts. 
• Summarize the services you have performed to complete the 10 hour requirement
• I have helped by filing
• Inserted data on to the computer
• Helped recruit people to adopt a family for Christmas
• Made phone calls to members (families and students) of Uncommon Good
• Help with Freshman activities by cooking and creating activities
• I helped lead activities at monthly meetings in elementary/middle schools
• This Thursday I will be presenting on my experience at I-Poly to prospective Uncommon Good students and help them start thinking about financial aid/ scholarships! 

ESLR Blog

Through my senior project I believe that I have been an effective communicator, user of technology, and effective learner:

• I have been an effective communicator because besides giving a presentation for my independent component, I have also done many interviews. When I did my first interview I did not know what were the proper techniques to interview someone. I decided to take my laptop and record the interview while I typed out the main points. I later learned through my independent component class that it was not the right thing to do. The instructor explained how all the attention should be given to the interviewee and to continue the conversation with follow-up questions. I will now use this style to get a more in depth conversation when I interview someone the next time. Along with effective communicating, I learned how to use technology that I was unfamiliar with - a recorder! I know it may sound silly, but I had never used that device before and by using the Dropbox program it made my life much easier to share and communicate with my classmates from Pomona College and Pomona High School. 
• I have been an effective learner because I have had to be responsible for my own learning. I had to contact all the people who provided me with service learning and my independent component, so I had to assume responsibility for my learning. I complete tasks that I am supposed to do, but most of the time I am looking for new ways to expand my knowledge on my Senior Project; whether it is watching documentaries, or Spanish news channels, I am always eager to learn more!
• 
  

Third Interview Questions

1. Why do you believe that many Latinos/as are not pursuing higher education? if you do not believe this is so, why not?
2. What is the best way to increase the number of Latino/a students who attend higher educational institutions? 
3. What benefits and advantages are there for Latinos/as who pursue higher education compared to those who do not?
4. Are there any benefits for the community and society as a whole if Latinos/as attend college?
5. There are many different higher educational institutions such as community colleges, California State Universities, private colleges, etc., will they offer equal opportunities to Latinos/as? 
6. Who is responsible for the lack of Latinos/as attending educational institutions? 
7. What can a regular individual do to help solve this issue? 
8. What factors (or information) would any student require in order to apply and attend college? 
9. Do you believe that media portrays dishonest perceptions of Latinos/as that in some way discourage Latinos/as to attend college? If so what are they, and why do they discourage them? If not, why not?
10. At what age should Latinos/as start preparing for the application process of higher educational institutions? 
11. How does the fact that not many Latinos/as attend college directly impact you?
12. If you are Latino/a or Hispanic, were you able to attend college and how did you manage to do this?
13. What would you tell high school students if you could tell them one crucial piece of information about college or anything of that matter that will help the students immensely?