Sheldon, Iowa — Latino students and their families are invited to a seminar in Sheldon that will help students succeed in school.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Northwest Iowa Community College are excited to offer local Latino families with the opportunity to take part in what’s being called “Juntos para una mejor educación” (Together for a Better Education) It’s being offered in Sheldon beginning on Thursday, March 30th.
Extension officials say “Juntos” is a series of activities for middle school students and their families. The goal of the program is to bring families, schools, and community members together to help youth succeed in school and identify paths to higher education.
Lori Hayungs, human sciences specialist in family life with ISU Extension and Outreach says that the Latino population and school enrollment is increasing, yet the percentage of Latinos with a high school education is lower than the general population in Iowa. She says research tells us that family, school and community engagement are important to help youth succeed in school. When there is not a history of higher education within a family, or adults in a family have not experienced the United States school system, they may not know how to best support their youth to do well in school or how to access college.
Northwest Iowa Community College and ISU Extension and Outreach hope to change that through this Juntos partnership.
Hayungs says that Northwest Iowa Community College and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach hope to bring together families with school and community resources that will lead to local students’ academic success.
Extension officials say they hope to have families join them from Sheldon, Sibley-Ocheyedan, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn, Boyden-Hull and other surrounding districts.
Hayungs says the key is that the student and the parent or parents come together.
She says the idea is to develop leaders.
Any family interested in participating in the Juntos program is encouraged to attend the Juntos Open House on Thursday, March 30th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Building A on the campus of Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon. Hayungs says they offer the open house first so that families can find out more information, ask questions and register for the program in-person that night, if they choose to.
The five-week session will officially begin April 4th from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and continue every Tuesday evening through May 2nd. The sessions are free to all student and parent participants and include a free meal. Childcare for younger siblings is also available upon request.
For more information and/or to register for the program, contact Sonia Garza Carrizales at NCC at 712-324-5061, extension 268. Registration forms may also be downloaded here. Or you can call the O’Brien County Extension office at (712) 957-5045.
