As the heat rose with the early Virginia morning sun, so did the anticipation of volunteers hoping to relive an experience that once changed their lives.
“I can’t wait ‘til they get here,” said one orange-teed volunteer to another as they milled around the empty Whiting residence hall at Virginia State University. Dozens of peppy college students, identified by their orange-colored name badges and infectious energy, were ready to impart the same wisdom that made a higher education possible for them.
“You can really feel the energy in here,” said Frank Hernandez, a Virginia Tech mechanical engineering major in his senior year, never once breaking his smile.
Then the rumble of a rear-engine, diesel-fueled locomotive unsealed the intensity, and cheering ensued almost on cue. The kids had arrived.
“Welcome to the 2010 HYS!”
The Hispanic Youth Symposium (HYS) is a live-in learning experience for Latino high school students aimed at motivating them to pursue higher education. Hispanic sophomores and juniors with at least a 2.5 GPA apply to spend four days on college campuses attending career workshops, listening to inspirational talks, sharing with mentors, and learning the ins and outs of the college application process. Some of them earn scholarships to get them started on the path to postsecondary progress.
But, most importantly, organizers said, students confront feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness that prevent many from pursuing their potential.
