In Oct. 2014, the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics launched a Year of Action, and with it a national call for Commitments to Action in honor of its 25th anniversary. In the spirit of what President Obama calls a “shared responsibility,” the Initiative challenged the public and private sectors to make meaningful and quantifiable contributions to expand and support the educational outcomes and opportunities for the Latino community.
Latino U College Access is a Westchester County nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase college enrollment and completion rates among Latino youth who are first in their families to go to college.
We are honored to lead this coalition and to be recognized as one of over 140 public and private sector leaders who answered the Call to Action,” says Shirley Acevedo Buontempo, Executive Director of Latino U College Access. “Through our Commitment, we are helping to improve the educational attainment of Hispanic youth in Westchester County by supporting their college dreams so that they may fulfill their academic potential and ensure the success of future generations.”
The Westchester County Coalition includes Latino U College Access as the lead organization and community coalition partners including Westchester County Youth Bureau, NY State Higher Education Services Corporation, Mercy College, Pace University, College of New Rochelle, Manhattanville College, Sleepy Hollow High School/Ossining High Schools, White Plains Public Library, Don Bosco Community Center, Port Chester Cares, Westchester County Youth Bureau and YWCA of White Plains. The Coalition has committed to assist over 900 Hispanic students with FAFSA completion over the next three years.