Latino students from Bay area junior high and high schools attended a college awareness day yesterday in the Cesar Chavez Student Center at SF State.
The event, which is part of the "Semana de La Raza," or the week of La Raza, was sponsored by the La Raza student organization on campus. The goal was to motivate Latino students into going to college.
This event is in its 15th year, and according to the organizers, around 75 students attended yesterday's program.
Students got the chance to listen to speeches from SF State's Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services Ed Apodaca, and the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Mario Rivas. Both urged students to do well in school and go to college.
Workshops, coordinated by members of the La Raza student organization, on health and Latino youth, leadership skills and science and technology were held for the students.
"You need to wake yourself up," Rivas said. "You got to have a positive attitude in yourself. You have to say 'I have the right and the pride to be a doctor, teacher or even a dean.'"
Apodaca encouraged the kids not to just go to college but to graduate.
"We don't want you to just think about going to college -- we want you here," Apodaca said. "We need for you to graduate. You must start planning now. This is your chance to learn, to grow, take advantage of it."
With the students seated in a circle, Rivas told students to believe in themselves. And told them that there is support for them.
"You must have enthusiasm in school. Enthusiasm is knowledge on fire," Rivas said. "It is easier to hide than to stand up and speak. We need you to be our leaders in the future," he said.
Alexandra Magallanese, who is an educational counselor for LULAC, an organization that does outreach to low income and first generation kids and families, brought students from Daly City to the event.
"The students I brought today are border-line kids. That is, kids that need that extra encouragement to get them motivated," Magallanese said. "I think it is a unique experience for students to hear from someone from their same background. This I hope will motivate them to pursue their goals."
"I think this thing was good. It taught us more about being Latino and staying in school," said Ricardo Gallego, a student at Pollicita High School in Daly City.
Sandra Beatriz Vega'Hernandez, head coordinator for the event, said that just reaching one kid will make it worth it.
"I attended this event when I was in high school and it influenced me to go to college here at SF State," Vega'Hernandez said. "What would make me proud is to come back four years from now and see someone who attended today's awareness day helping coordinate this event."
Bertha Reyes and Arelys Rosales, from Jefferson High School in San Francisco, said the event motivated them to go to college, because before today they weren't sure they wanted to go.
"I hope they feel like this is a place they can come to," Rivas said. "We want them to know that people respect them, understand them and support them."
The event culminates with Friday's Cinco de Mayo celebration. In Malcom X Plaza, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the celebration will include dancing, poetry, speakers, and pinatas. At 4 p.m. a fiesta will be held in Jack Adams Hall.