Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Boys & Girls Clubs of America Forge Historic Alliance
College Aid Program Targets Latino Students and Their Parents
San Francisco, CA. November 2006–The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), the nation's leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education, and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) have announced a strategic alliance to ensure Hispanic youth are on track to secure a college education.
This innovative partnership offers college scholarship opportunities for Club members participating in BGCA’s new Latino Outreach Initiative. Working with both parents and young people, the partnership reinforces the message that entering and graduating from college are very achievable goals. Most importantly, the HSF/BGCA partnership addresses the fact that securing a college education is critical to a successful future.
Starting this month, HSF will hold interactive workshops at seven Boys & Girls Clubs piloting BGCA’s Latino Outreach Initiative. The sessions, entitled My Future, My Choice, My Education,will provide information and support to help youth navigate their way from middle school to high school to college and on to successful professional careers.
The weekly, interactive, one-hour sessions will offer topics ranging from the importance of college and enrolling in a college track curriculum while in high school, to testing, financial aid and selecting the best school.
Since research has proven the important role parents play in the academic achievement of their children, the HSF/BGCA initiativealso will offer bilingual, bi-weekly sessions for the parents, entitled PASOS. During these sessions, parents will learn how to better understand the U.S. education and grading system by examining issues such as testing, financial aid and helping children with their studies.
The HSF/BGCA alliance is funded by a grant from the founding partner of the initiative, The Goldman Sachs Foundation, and a second one from The Goizueta Foundation. A $1 million grant from The Goldman Sachs Foundation includes funding for three-year pilot programs at Clubs in Chicago and San Antonio. The Goizueta Foundation is supporting pilot programs in 10 Boys & Girls Clubs in Georgia.
The Goldman Sachs Foundation’s support for My Future, My Choice, My Education will include opportunities for high-achieving Latino youth to attend special summer programs administered by Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. The Goizueta Foundation program will give Club members the opportunity to vie for college scholarships throughout the state of Georgia.
“The number of Latino youth we serve has increased greatly and we can think of no better partner than the Hispanic Scholarship Fund to help us provide hope and opportunity to thousands of Latino youth and families,” said Roxanne Spillett, BGCA president. “The funding we have received from both the Goldman Sachs and Goizueta Foundations ensures we will have the necessary resources to succeed.”
"The Goldman Sachs Foundation makes substantial investments in effective programs that develop the abilities of tomorrow's leaders," said Stephanie Bell-Rose, President of the Foundation. "Our goal is to support effective partnerships such as this one between HSF, BGCA and Hopkins that create 'networks for success' to promote academic achievement among underserved youth."
The need for such a collaboration targeting the higher education needs of Latino youth is supported by the latest U.S. Census figures, which estimate the Latino population is the fastest-growing minority in the U.S. at just over 42 million. It is also the fastest-growing number of young people with a median age of 27.
Likewise, the number of Latino youth served by BGCA is currently more than 21 percent (966,000) of the 4.6 million total served. This represents a jump in the number of Latino youth served by Boys & Girls Clubs from 844,000 in 2003 to 966,000 in 2006.
“We are extremely grateful to The Goldman Sachs Foundation and The Goizueta Foundation for their generosity and vision in funding this unique partnership,” said Christopher E. Jones, HSF Chief Operating Officer. “The Boys & Girls Clubs are an integral part of the social fabric of this country. The growth of the Latino population in these Clubs reflects the national trend. Reaching out to Latino youth and their parents to inform them of the bright prospects open to them if they pursue a higher education is critical to the future of this country. As highly-educated professionals, Latino youth can help mold this country’s future.”
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of more than 3,900 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving some 4.6 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances. Known as “The Positive Place for Kids,” the Clubs provide guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children 6-18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation.
About The Goldman Sachs Foundation
The Goldman Sachs Foundation (www2.goldmansachs.com/foundation) is a global philanthropic organization funded by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. The Foundation's mission is to promote excellence and innovation in education and to improve the academic performance and lifelong productivity of young people worldwide. It achieves this mission through a combination of strategic partnerships, grants, loans, private sector investments, and the deployment of professional talent from Goldman Sachs. Funded in 1999, the Foundation has awarded grants of $72 million since its inception, providing opportunities for young people in more than 20 countries.
About The Goizueta Foundation
Roberto C. Goizueta established The Goizueta Foundation (www.goizuetafoundation.org) in 1992 to assist organizations that empower individuals and families through educational opportunities to improve the quality of their lives. Due to the thoughtful, philanthropic vision of Mr. Goizueta, The Foundation aims to support educational programs that promote sustainable change and have a long-term impact in the community.
About the Hispanic Scholarship Fund
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation’s leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education. Founded in 1975, HSF’s vision is to strengthen the country by advancing college education among Hispanic Americans, the largest minority segment of the U.S. population. In support of its mission to double the rate of Hispanics earning college degrees, HSF, a 501(c)3 not-for profit organization, provides the Latino community more college scholarships and educational outreach support than any other organization in the country. During its 31-year history, HSF has awarded more than 78,000 scholarships totaling in excess of $195 million to Latinos from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam who have attended more than 1,700 colleges and universities.