A BluePrint for Success: Case Studies of Successful - Educational ...

A Blueprint for Success
students join the program in the 9th grade with some joining in the 10th grade. Every year, HYI
serves approximately 1,000 students in eight different regions.
Program Components
The Hispanic Youth Institute serves students in eight different communities including Dallas, Texas;
Arizona; New Mexico; Virginia; Towson, Maryland; and three communities in California – Silicon
Valley, Central Valley, and Los Angeles. Programs and services offered to students by HYI consist of
two major components: a summer kick-off event and year-round programming.
Summer Kick-­‐Off in Each Community
Beginning in the summer, 100-200 high school students experience a university campus for a fourday,
three-night college empowerment program where students learn to overcome both real and perceived
barriers to college access. The students participate in college and career workshops, connect
with local Hispanic professionals, meet college admissions officers, interact with near-peer mentors,
listen to inspirational speakers, and compete for scholarships. Throughout the on-campus experience,
the students build their confidence and receive practical tools to help them along their pathway
to college.
Year-­‐Round Programming
Upon completion of the on-campus kick-off program, students are enrolled into year-round programming
that reinforces the key themes of college, career, and community, while encouraging them
to promote a college-going culture among their peers throughout the remainder of their high school
years. The Hispanic Youth Institute works with organizations in the local community to leverage
existing resources and fill resource gaps. HCF staff partner with local community-based organizations
to provide workshops and activities for students. Graduates from the summer kick-off program
are expected to attend activities in the year-round program, but attendance or participation at events
is not required.
Program Staffing
The Hispanic Youth Institute has various directors in each of the regions, a national program director,
and a part-time administrative staff. The program relies on a great number of volunteers and has
about 1,000 to 2,000 volunteers working with HYI in varying degrees, such as on planning committees,
to implement local programs. For example, HYI holds a Hispanic Heroes event featuring 40 to
50 local professionals who engage students in small groups and talk to them about overcoming obstacles
in order to reach to where they each are today. All regions are staffed, although HYI is looking
to have a minimum of one staff member per region and some staff currently oversee multiple
sites.
Educational Policy Institute 85 www.educationalpolicy.org