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 Post subject: Illegal Status Keeps 2 NW Ind. H.S. Grads from Scholarships
PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:07 pm 
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Read comments. There are lots of them. One girl says she is Hispanic but NOT illegal. They used her photo in the paper but conflated the legal Hispanics with the illegal ones. No mention of which school the illegal students graduated from. Guess the newspaper is just protecting, aiding and abetting them. It wouldn't be too difficult to find out who they are by checking graduation records.

http://nwi.com/articles/2008/06/26/news ... 09c760.txt

Hispanic students facing struggles

BY CARMEN McCOLLUM
cmccollum@nwitimes.com
219.662.5337 | Thursday, June 26, 2008 | 70 comment(s)
Two local Hispanic students graduated among the top of their high school class this year -- winning scholarships to state schools -- only to have the rug pulled out from under them, a local school administrator said.

Following the awarding of the scholarships, it was discovered both students were illegal immigrants, in effect nullifying their accomplishments, said the administrator, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The tale of the two students represents just one of many challenges both U.S. citizens of Hispanic descent and illegal immigrants have faced in attempting futures in higher education, local students and education officials said.

A recent survey by a statewide education organization, Learn More Indiana, reported nearly half of current Hispanic high school students in Indiana would be the first in their families to attend college, and many feel they can't afford higher education.

The survey indicated that while 58 percent of all high school freshmen surveyed thought they could afford college, just 41 percent of Hispanic freshmen had that same confidence.

Six students met Wednesday at Ivy Tech College Northwest in Gary with Veronica Leon to speak about a variety of issues pertaining to Hispanics in higher education. Leon is the assistant director of student support and development at the campus and a member of the education committee for Hispanic Organization Promoting Excellence.

Pedro Lara, 18, who graduated in June from Merrillville High School, said he intends to go to Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis. Lara said Hispanic students often feel disenfranchised in that they are not expected to attend college.

"There are a lot of stereotypes out there," he said. "Many people think because you're Hispanic, you aren't going to college or will go to a trade school -- or not go at all."

Valerie Arambula, 17, who will be a senior this fall at George Rogers Clark High School in Hammond, said she would be the first in her family to attend college.

"Counselors don't help you unless you ask," she said. "My parents are encouraging me to go to college. They feel bad that they can't really help me with the applications, but I feel like they help me just by encouraging me to go."

The road map of applications and deadlines can be a hassle for anyone getting ready for college, and becomes even more difficult for Hispanic students, said Lake Central High School grad Erika Aldape, 18.

"Being a first-generation student going to college, I didn't have anyone to really guide me about the forms," she said. "I didn't know about the deadlines and what had to be turned in. Some of my classmates were telling me about it, and my parents didn't bring it up because they didn't know."


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