CLC hosted first Latino Leadership Conference

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Confidence is everything.

That’s why about 300 hundred students from 10 area high schools attended the first Latino Leadership Conference last week at the College of Lake County’s Grayslake campus in heels, ties, and business suits.

Sponsored by the CLC’s Latino Outreach Committee, the first “Dress for Success” conference introduced Latino freshman and sophomore students to aspects of the college experience through mini-sessions of actual class material and tours of the campus.

But mainly, the event was held to instill the idea that the real college experience is an attainable one.

“Spiff up your attire; spiff up your attitude,” said Mary Winter, Professor of English at CLC and organizer of the conference. “We felt this was important for them to do so they can have a professional experience.”

Chosen by their teachers and counselors to attend the conference, the students got a pep talk by a panel of Latino members of the community who have overcome difficulties and have graduated from college.

One of the speakers was Andres Lara – also known as “The Cuban Guy.”

“The Cuban Guy was a lotta fun,” said 14-year-old Jose Martinez, a freshman at Highland Park High School.

Lara has written several books about his life, such as his escape from Cuba at the age of 16 and coming to America without any money, without his parents, and not knowing how to speak English.

Now, at the age of 26, Lara is the CEO of A. Success Training Inc. It is a job that allows him to travel the world and share his experiences.

“The more you focus on the things you like, the more the things you hate will disappear,” Lara said to the crowd of students.

This is precisely the message that Mayra Gaytan-Morales, director at the University Center of Lake County in Waukegan and Latino Outreach Committe member, wants the students to take away from the conference.

“We lose so many kids in the transition between middle school and high school,” Gaytan- Morales said. “There are many obstacles that Latinos have to face.”
One of those obstacles is being the first generation to have the opportunity to go to college.

“If the kid’s parents never went to college, then they don’t know how to help them or motivate them to get them there,” Gaytan-Morales said.

Even when the child’s parents have gone to college and have a diploma and a title, the language barrier sometimes proves to be a problem that may keep them from getting a job in their field.

“I’ve had students say that they would rather get a job now rather than finish school because both of their parents went to college in their country but can’t get a good job here,” Gaytan-Morales said. “What they don’t understand is that once you’re a professional, you’re a professional everywhere you go. No one can take that title away from you. You just have to translate it.”

For some students, the idea that college offers a wide array of activities and experiences beyond academics never really has been explained to them.

“I didn’t think I wanted to go to college before today,” said 15-year-old Karina Martinez, a student at Round Lake High School.

Martinez is in the bilingual program in high school and is interested in the arts.

“I am so excited [to know] that the college has a ballet,” Martinez said. “[CLC] has a radio station, a ballet and a day care. I didn’t know any of this.”

For other students, the trip was not a moment of enlightenment but one that only helped to reinforce their goals.

That is the case for 15-year-old Arely Morales of St. Martin de Porres High School in Waukegan.

Morales smiled confidently as she heard the explanation on how to look for and shop for class books during a tour of the CLC bookstore.

“I’m going to college,” Morales said. “I know you need determination and your good friends around you to get to your goals.”

Morales already is working on her goal to get to college even if her parents can’t pay for it.
“I got a job at Six Flags this season and I’m saving my money for college,” Morales said.

Whether the conference made any real impact on the students is something CLC recruiter and committee member, Miguel Mireles, says remains to be seen.

“This is not it. We’re going to file all of the students’ contact information in a database and do folllow-ups,” Mireles said. “This day was just to plant the seed.”