Countywide : School Fund Set Up for Latino Students

Saying that too many Latinos drop out of school and too few of them go on to higher education, a group of community leaders have announced the creation of an endowment fund which they hope will eventually distribute $100,000 a year in scholarships to Latino students.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez said the Hispanic Education Endowment Fund’s creators intend to raise $1 million by 1997, and then begin offering grants to students and families to improve access to higher education.

“The dropout rate is singularly the most identified issue that Hispanics are concerned about,” Vasquez said.

Although the fund “is an enormous stride to deal with that issue, it is not the all-encompassing answer. It’s one more step in a series of steps that need to be taken,” he added.

The size and number of scholarships to be awarded each year has yet to be determined. People may receive scholarships for almost anything which fosters educational achievement. Awards could pay for attending any educational institution, from preschool to university, including trade and technical schools.

Scholarships would be awarded based on the financial needs, educational potential and leadership skills of applicants or nominees, he said.

“The fund is not just for academic achievers, but for the community at large,” said Ruben Smith, a member of the fund’s advisory board.

Latinos in California now hold a disproportionate percentage of low-paying jobs, and Latino families, as a result, often cannot afford to pay the rising costs of a college education, said Juan Lara, associate director of undergraduate admission at UC Irvine.

Lara cited official state figures showing that while Latinos account for 34% of the students in public schools countywide, they compose only 18% of the high school graduates. Furthermore, Latinos account for only 12% of freshmen admitted to Cal State University campuses and 7% of freshmen entering University of California campuses.

“It is critically important to see the graduation rates improve,” he said.

To kick off the fund-raising drive, Olga Niebla presented a $25,000 check on behalf of her husband, Fernando Niebla, the president of Santa Ana-based Infotech, who originally proposed the endowment.

Groups which helped create the fund include the Assn. of Hispanic Professional Educators, the Hispanic Bar Assn. of Orange County, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Organizers hope that the first $100,000 donated will come from the Latino community as a sign of support for the program.

To contribute to the fund, send checks to: The OC Hispanic Education Fund, Orange County Community Foundation, 695 Town Center Drive, 17th floor, Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626.