Hispanic role models motivate Hamilton students
HISPA CEO, Dr. Ivonne Diaz-Claisse speaks with students at a Hamilton high school recently, in a effort to motivate them to reach their educational goals.
It has been very motivational for Hispanic students at Hamilton high schools when Hispanic role models recently engaged them in thinking about their future.
Based in New Jersey, the new non-profit for Hispanics Inspiring Students’ Performance and Achievement, HISPA, seeks to mobilize Hispanic professionals all yearlong to be role models for Hamilton students.
Following a HISPA program at Hamilton High School West last Wednesday, one student told the Hispanic Hamilton Councilwoman, Ileana Schirmer, ‘“really needed to hear this today.”’
So far, the program has been launched in two Hamilton high schools in January, and students have participated in two HISPA sessions. The first was on Jan. 12 and the second on the 25th at Nottingham High School and Hamilton High School West, respectively.
At the first HISPA session, the Hispanic students’ role models were HISPA CEO, Dr. Ivonne Diaz-Claisse and Princeton University Computer Science Lecturer,
Sandra Batista, Ph.D. Role models for the students on Jan. 25 were Diaz-Claisse and Schirmer.
While lecturing and engaging the students, Diaz-Claisse shared her story about challenges and obstacles she overcame and earned two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in Mathematics.
Diaz-Claisse told the students she faced obstacles while growing up in Puerto Rico, because she lacked role models. “Her story struck a chord with the school’s growing Hispanic student population,” states Communications and Development Manager of HISPA, Kelly Grossman.
According to Grossman, Diaz-Claisse realized that Hispanic students craved role models with whom they can identify – individuals “with whom they share a language or cultural background, someone that reminded them of their families.”
Thus, upon realizing Hispanic students’ success is not only critical to our community, but to America’s future, Diaz-Claisse joined forces with other Hispanic professionals like herself to encourage these students.
It is predicted that Hispanic students will make up “nearly one of every three students by 2025,” states Grossman.
She claims, “though we have made progress, Hispanics still have the highest dropout rates of all major racial and ethnic groups, and fewer than 10 per cent have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.”
Therefore, the goal of HISPA is to close the academic achievement gap, so that students can “fulfill their potentials, participate in high-skilled jobs, and become key contributors to America’s future.”
Schirmer noted the Hamilton programs have been extremely rewarding and have made a positive impact and the community needs to be aware of HISPA.
HISPA has grown to more than 9,000 students from its grassroots connections since Diaz-Claisse’s visit a local school in New Jersey. Now, the program can be found in New York, Texas, and Florida.
Hamilton will have additional programs during the school year, with sessions scheduled at Nottingham High School and at Hamilton High School West on Feb. 16 and 22nd, respectively.
