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

A Blueprint for Success
kick-off program, students are enrolled into year-round programming that reinforces the key themes
of college, career, and community.
History & Mission
The Hispanic Youth Symposium began in 2004 as an initiative of the National Council of Hispanic
Employment Program Offices and the Hispanic College Fund. The purpose was to fill a void of information
and support for a rapidly expanding Hispanic student population in the Greater Washington
area and create a pipeline for the workforce in the area including corporations, the federal
government, and education/nonprofits. The program was modeled after the Idaho Hispanic Youth
Symposium, which was a successful high school dropout prevention program. College access programming
and career programming were added. Partnerships and volunteers were key to the programmatic
effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the program. Although it is national in scope, it has
always been a community-driven program.
The first program in summer 2004 had 63 students from around the Greater Washington, DC area
and was held at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. Between 2005 and 2010, several new sites
were opened nationwide. In 2010, year-round programming began to roll out. Regional staff was
developed in each area, and the program name was changed from Hispanic Youth “Symposium” to
Hispanic Youth Institute to reflect the year-round activities. A study was completed to measure the
student change on the Children’s Hope Scale, with statistically-significant improvements in student
Hope Scores in about 1,000 students. The program was recognized by the College Board for having
an innovative “getting ready for college” program. In 2010, there were 1,021 students participating
in the program.
Goals
75 percent of alumni will achieve a bachelor’s degree within six years of graduating from
high school
50 percent of alumni will pursue careers in business, health care, or STEM
65 percent of alumni will report having volunteered at least four hours per month in the
previous six months
Admissions & Selection
Admission into the program is competitive and students need to apply for admission. HYI gives
preference to students with certain factors, such as being the first in their family to attend college or
receiving free or reduced lunch. These students receive additional points on their application to increase
the applicant pool of underrepresented students. Academically, the selection focuses on “middle
students,” that is, students whose grades fall in the B and C range and who could go to college,
but without appropriate support and intervention probably would choose not to attend. Typically,
Educational Policy Institute 84 www.educationalpolicy.org