EDUCATION INITIATIVES
The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton by offering tutoring, counseling, health services, assistance with special admissions, and some financial assistance to enable migrant youth to successfully complete the first year of post-secondary education. Students are also assisted with obtaining financial aid to help with the remainder of their undergraduate academic careers.
Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) is an independent, non-profit organization that advocates the right of every child to a quality education. For more than 30 years, IDRA has worked for excellence and equity in education in Texas and across the United States. IDRA conducts research and development activities; creates, implements and administers innovative education programs; and provides teacher, administrator, and parent training and technical assistance.
Unidos Dual Language Charter School is a public school in the development process in the Metro Atlanta area. The school aims to attain high academic achievement while promoting informed cultural attitudes and behaviors by developing bilingualism and biliteracy in its students. Dell Perry, a UGA doctoral student with over 11 years of ESOL experience, along with a team of other education and business professionals, is heading up this initiative. Enrollment should begin in spring 2006.
Athens Regional Library System, Pinewood Branch – This Spanish language branch of the Athens Regional Library System is located on Highway 129 near Pinewood Estates and offers a number of eduational services to residents.
The Georgia Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) web site is designed to foster communication and collaboration among members.
The National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) is the only professional organization at the national level wholly devoted to representing both English language learners and bilingual education professionals. Along with affiliate organizations in 23 states, NABE has a combined membership of more than 20,000 bilingual and English-as-a-second-language teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, university professors and students, researchers, advocates, policymakers, and parents.
The Center for the Mathematics Education of Latinos/as (CEMELA) is an interdisciplinary, multi-university consortium focused on the research and practice of the teaching and learning of mathematics with Latino students in the United States. CEMELA brings together experts in mathematics education, mathematics, language, and culture to collaboratively work on improving the mathematics education of low-income Latino students.
The Hispanic College Network maintains a list of information for Latinos focusing on different Georgia colleges and universities, with scholarship, event, and job information.
FIRSTGOV in Español – The government’s new Spanish-language information web portal links visitors to the entire spectrum of Spanish-language websites and web pages available from federal and state governments.
El nuevo portal de información en español del gobierno vincula al visitante con un abanico completo de sitios y páginas Web del gobierno federal y de los estados en dicho idioma.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is an informal group of 18 members of Congress of Hispanic descent. The Caucus is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanic Americans in the United States and the insular areas.
Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans – On October 12, 2001, President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13230 to establish the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. The Commission is charged with strengthening the nation’s capacity to provide high quality education while increasing opportunities for Hispanic American participation in federal education programs.
The Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO) was established to increase representation of Latino/Hispanic elected and appointed officials, to proactively address the issues and needs of the Latino community, and to engage the Latino/Hispanic community in the democratic and policy process across the State of Georgia.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta includes a Hispanic Mentoring Initiative.
El Comité Hispano de Gainesville / Condado de Hall – The mission of El Comité de Gainesville aims to establish a bridge between the Hispanic and non-Hispanic community and to provide direction in finding solutions to economical, political, and social problems.
Communities In Schools takes a community development approach to supporting education by unifying the existing resources of communities around children, families and schools as a support system to help young people realize their full potential and take responsibility for their future. This organization works closely with local business leaders and school superintendents to spearhead the formation of public/private partnerships, which are designed for and operated by persons living and working in the community. Students benefit by receiving personal attention and support, mentoring, tutoring, assistance in developing socially, career awareness and planning, and counseling.
The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education was founded in 1990 and today is working hard to be Georgia’s foremost change agent in education. The non-profit, non-partisan organization consists of business, education, community and government leaders who are focused on efforts to shape policy and reform education in the state.
The Georgia PTA works to support and speak on behalf of children and youth in the schools and before governmental agencies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children; to assist parents in developing the skills they need to raise and protect their children; and to encourage parent and public involvement in the schools of this nation.
The Goizueta Foundation‘s purpose is to assist organizations that empower individuals and families through educational opportunities to improve the quality of their lives. The Foundation, founded in 1992 by Roberto C. Goizueta, is a private, general purpose, grant-making foundation established to provide financial assistance to charitable and educational institutions.
Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (CREO) formed in response to the educational crisis of Latino children – who are now officially the most un-educated and the most undereducated minority group in the United States. Their purpose is to be a national voice for the right of Hispanic families to access all educational options and to be an agent for equity and quality in education.
Latin American Association – The purpose of the Latin American Association in Atlanta is to provide Latino families and individuals with basic transitional services in order to facilitate integration into the larger Atlanta ommunity; to advocate on behalf of Latinos; and to foster in the community an awareness of the presence and contributions of Latinos.
League of United Latin American Citizen (LULAC) – With approximately 115,000 members throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, League of United Latin American Citizen (LULAC) is the largest and oldest Hispanic organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide. The organization involves and serves all Hispanic nationality groups.
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) – Founded in 1968 in San Antonio, Texas, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) is the leading nonprofit Latino litigation, advocacy and educational outreach institution in the United States. MALDEF’s mission is to foster sound public policies, laws and programs to safeguard the civil rights of the 35 million Latinos living in the United States and to empower the Latino community to full participate in our society.
The Mexican Center of Atlanta, formerly known as Friends of Mexico, was established in 1992. For nearly a decade, the Mexican Center has undertaken the challenge of bringing together the communities of Atlanta in positive and meaningful ways through the sponsorship and organization of a multitude of programs and events.
The National Community for Latino Leadership, Inc. (NCLL) – Since 1989, the National Community for Latino Leadership, Inc. (NCLL), formerly known as the Hispanic Leadership Opportunity Program (HLOP), has existed as a network of national leadership organizations. This network supported leadership development activities for Latino youth, professionals, and community leaders that remain engaged today in efforts to advance the Latino community. NCLL’s initial efforts were supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization established in 1968 to reduce poverty and discrimination, and improve life opportunities for Hispanic Americans.
The National Hispanic Institute (NHI) is an organization that values the talent of Latino youth, the potential they represent to the future of the Latino community and the extended sectors of American society, and provides private community settings through which they may become intellectually, culturally, and socially engaged in determining the roles they wish to play in shaping tomorrow’s world.
The National Latino Children’s Institute (NLCI) focuses the nation’s attention on policies, programs, and community initiatives that lead to the full and healthy development of Latino children.
Piedmont Migrant Education Agency (PMEA) provides a variety of educational support services to youth of migrant families employed in agriculture related work in a 74-county area. Services include academic support, summer instruction, parent/family training, home-school communication, social services, dropout prevention, and GED programs.
El Puente / The Bridge is a project of the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP). This organization, based in Gainesville, is dedicated to Hispanic advocacy, teen pregnancy prevention, health education, and leadership development.
¡Soy Unica! ¡Soy Latina! is a bilingual initiative for Hispanic girls ages 9-14, and their mothers and other caregivers and was developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This public education initiative is designed to help young Latinas build and enhance their own self-esteem, mental health, decision-making and assertiveness skills, and to prevent the harmful consequences of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs.¡Soy Unica! ¡Soy Latina! encourages cultural pride by emphasizing the strengths inherent in the Hispanic culture and provides materials including posters, activity books, brochures and a website. The material addresses belonging and adaptation, teaches assertiveness and decision-making skills, and provides tips on becoming healthy and successful young adults.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation’s leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education. HSF’s vision is to strengthen America by advancing college education among Hispanic Americans. During its 29-year history, HSF has awarded more than 68,000 scholarships in excess of $144 million to Hispanic students. HSF operates an office in Atlanta.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute was created in 2001 to extend the impact of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) on the achievement of Latinos in the United States. Working with HSF on the goal of doubling the rate of Hispanic college graduates by the year 2010, the primary focus of HSF Institute is to engage the public sector in support of Latino higher educational achievement.
Celia and Marcos Scholarship Fund grants $5,000 scholarships to Latino students who graduate from a Georgia high school and meet certain academic and community involvement requirements.
HispanicScholarship.com – Daimler Chrysler’s site includes guides to Hispanic scholarships as well as tips on how to write successful scholarship applications and various other resources.
Scholarships for Hispanics – This webpage has a list and links to some scholarship opportunities available to Hispanics in the United States.
Teachers for English Language Learners (TELL) Program is designed to increase the number of highly qualified bilingual teachers in Georgia’s public schools. Non-certified teachers and paraprofessionals who are bilingual are awarded scholarships and other support services to earn professional certification. In return, they must commit to teaching three years in a high-need school in Georgia.
Atlanta Latino is a bilingual (Spanish/English) newspaper for Latinos in Atlanta. Reaching over 100,000 readers each week, Atlanta Latino is the largest bilingual web portal in Georgia.
CNN en Espanol – Get the latest news in Spanish from around the world.
Coloquio is the electronic newsletter of the Hispanic community of Baltimore-Washington DC metropolitan area covering a wide variety of Hispanic news and information.
HispanicOnline – Delivering a wide variety of Hispanic news on the web, HispanicOnline keeps its readers up-to-date on the latest news for Hispanics.
Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.
Mundo Hispanico has been serving Atlanta’s Hispanic population since 1979 with up-to-the-minute news on national events, sports y el mundo Hispanico!
RedNet News – This Spanish language site covers international news.
Inter-University Program for Latino Research (IUPLR) a consortium of 16 Latino research centers based at major universities across the United States, is the only nationwide university-based research organization bringing together scholars from a wide variety of disciplines to conduct policy-relevant research on Latinos.
The National Latino Education Research Agenda Project attempts to bring together various constituencies within the broader Latino/a community who are concerned with primary and secondary public education with a focus on research and school reform.
The Pew Hispanic Center‘s mission is to improve understanding of the diverse Hispanic population in the United States and to chronicle Latinos’ growing impact on the nation. The Center strives to inform debate on critical issues through dissemination of its research to policymakers, business leaders, academic institutions and the media.
Tomás Rivera Policy Institute – Founded in 1985, The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute advances critical, insightful thinking on key issues affecting Latino communities through objective, policy-relevant research, and its implications, for the betterment of the nation.
Pathfinder – This site contains lists of many different kinds of Hispanic websites, from general sites to online bookstores to Hispanic art sites.