The 2012 Latino Leadership and College Experience Camp theme, The Power of One, will inspire students that their choices impact not only their lives but many others. By intentionally engaging parents with orientation workshops, an at-home curriculum parents can follow while their youth is at camp, and enrichment workshops at the end of the program, we hope that full family participation will lead to more successful students. The 2012 LLCEC will assist youth in making plans for college now and will provide them with information and opportunities to get involved in service and leadership within their communities. In order to insure that students will do so, each youth is mentored by a college student and a professional through the Road to College/Mi Camino a la Universidad guide. Additionally, the Latino Outreach office provides mentoring and college coaching to the students throughout the year.
This year's LLCEC will take place from Sunday, July 29 through Saturday, August 4th. Special parent workshops will be offered to the parents of participants on Sunday, August 4, 2012 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday, August 4th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The Latino Leadership and College Experience Program started as a college preparation day camp in the summer of 2006 with a total of 14 students from Fayette County Public Schools. The camp was created by Dr. James Fenton, Professor of Humanities and ESL at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, and Erin Howard, the BCTC Latino Outreach Director to meet the needs specific to first generation college students from the Latino, Immigrant, Refugee and ESL communities.
In 2007, the camp served 24 students from Fayette County Public Schools. The first two years of the camp allowed participants to explore their college options, set goals to complete high school and begin college, and improve both English and Spanish language skills. In 2008, Erin Howard and four former LLCEC participants and college student leaders were invited to attend the 45th Chicano Youth Leadership Conference in Malibu, CA where they were encouraged to enrich and strengthen the cultural heritage and mentoring components of the camp. From this experience, the camp staff renewed their vision for the camp to provide an intensive college preparation program designed to be culturally and linguistically relevant while at the same time providing an environment conducive to nurturing and facilitating peer, academic, and professional mentoring, self-awareness and cultural pride, and the exploration and dialogue within issues important to the students such as racism, immigration, poverty, budgeting, time management and much more.
In 2008, the camp directors prepared the first LLCEC curriculum for “family” groups and the “Mi Camino a la Universidad Guide.” In addition, the LLCEC schedule was enriched with more cultural activities as well as mentoring and networking opportunities for the student participants The 2008 LLCEC, “Be Your Dreams,” hosted 43 participants from all across the state of Kentucky.
In 2009, the LLCEC, “From Dreams to Actions,” hosted 50 participants from all across the state. The 2009 camp was further enriched with the participation of past participants and current college students. These role models worked together to teach bilingual courses and to meet with students one on one to create their plan for college.
In 2010, the LLCEC, “OWN IT,” hosted 65 participants. In addition to offering more courses, college student mentors arranged budgeting activities and more in-depth family discussions. Healthy relationships was also a topic very popular among the family groups.
Total Budget for participants (35), past participants/mentors (18) and volunteer staff (2): $20,388.50