The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) will join with one of its Affiliates, PROMESA: East Harlem Council for Community Improvement, Inc. (PROMESA/EHCCI), and the PepsiCo Foundation to launch a new program that encourages and helps Latino youth to graduate from high school, prepare for college, and explore career opportunities.
The pilot program for Escalera was launched in 2002 by NCLR. The program provides support and services that improve opportunities for Hispanic youth to attend college and attain the skills needed for high-paying jobs. To date, 98% of students enrolled in the initial Escalera pilot in Los Angeles and in a similar program in Chicago have completed the program, and 96% of those who completed it have been accepted into college.
PROMESA/EHCCI will be the site of the first Escalera: Taking Steps to Success program in New York. The program launch will take place on Thursday, February 22, at PROMESA: EHCCI, located at 413 East 120th Street in New York, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Speakers at the Escalera launch include: Ruben Medina, CEO, PROMESA; Raul Rodriguez, executive director, EHCCI; Michelle Jordan, senior manager of Strategic Community Partnerships, PepsiCo, Inc.; Claire Lyons, Global Grant Program Manager, PepsiCo Foundation; Sonia M. Pérez, vice president, Affiliate Member Services, NCLR; and a high school student enrolled in the new Escalera program in East Harlem.
Posted on February 20, 2007 by D. Bell