At weeklong academy, 40 boys are given a taste of college life

By Joe Tash

UNION-TRIBUNE

June 21, 2008

SAN MARCOS – For Robert Rivas, the wake-up call came five years ago, when he learned at a meeting of educators and civic leaders that more than half of North County's Latino boys were dropping out of high school.

Rivas, 59, an operations manager at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside and the father of four girls, said he was surprised and shocked by the statistic.

“I didn't think it was that bad. That's bad, that's nasty. No society can survive that,” Rivas said of his reaction.

He founded the nonprofit Encuentros Leadership of North San Diego County, an organization of Latino professionals dedicated to increasing graduation rates for Latino boys.

One of Encuentros' key programs is an annual weeklong academy, now in its second year, at Cal State San Marcos.

The class of 40 boys listens to motivational speakers, learns how to prepare for and succeed in college and takes educational and cultural field trips. The 2008 academy concludes today with a luncheon and awards presentation.

An annual leadership conference for up to 700 middle and high school students is scheduled for Oct. 4 at MiraCosta College.

At the academy this week, the boys have lived in campus dorms, eaten their meals together and participated in a full schedule of classes and activities. The academy gives the boys a taste of college life and teaches them leadership skills, Rivas said.

Carlos Gonzalez, 17, of Carlsbad said he was inspired by speakers at the academy, such as a man who was an Olympic athlete for Mexico before he was paralyzed in a hunting accident.

“He's happy and outgoing; he's gone through many obstacles and he still sees the positive side of life,” Carlos said.

The speakers gave him a sense that he could be “unstoppable,” Carlos said. “You know you can succeed if they succeeded."

Julio Castill, 16, of San Marcos said one of the highlights of the week was a trip to Chicano Park beneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge.

“I felt so proud,” said Julio, to learn how the community had struggled to establish the park and to see the colorful murals there, including portraits of Latino leaders such as Cesar Chavez and Che Guevara.

“I see us as being the next Che Guevaras, revolutionaries in education,” said Julio, who plans to become an immunologist and help find cures for diseases.

Although the academy is aimed at helping students succeed in school, another purpose is to groom future Latino leaders who can carry on the work of Encuentros in the community, Rivas said.

The students seemed to have taken that lesson to heart.

“All of us feel we could go back to our schools and make the drop-out rate lower and help more Chicanos get into college,” said 16-year-old Juan Gaytan of San Marcos, who intends to study psychology and philosophy at a University of California campus. “Chicanos really do have potential. Every student here is concrete proof of that.”

Even in its application process, the academy seeks to mirror the college experience, said Rivas. Academy applicants must have at least a 3.0 grade-point average and submit three letters of recommendation, high school transcripts and an essay.

This year, 88 students from six high schools in Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista and San Marcos applied for the 40 slots.

Rivas, who oversees the academy, and the speakers – some of whom are Cal State San Marcos instructors – volunteer their time. Rivas said the program costs about $4,000 per student, and the money is raised through donations from individuals, corporations and civic groups. Palomar College GEAR UP, a federally funded college-preparatory program, partners with Encuentros to put on the academy.

This year, Rivas said, organizers have fine-tuned the curriculum, adding interactive activities and a health and fitness component.

Yesterday morning, the students laughed and joked as they practiced singing “Chorizo Sandwich” by local artist Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez. They planned to perform the song for their parents at today's luncheon.

Academy organizers are beginning to see the results of the program. Twenty-one students who attended last year have graduated from high school. Encuentros members have been able to contact 15 of those students and found that all are planning to attend either a two-or four-year college in the fall.

“I couldn't be happier or prouder,” Rivas said.