Investing in the future
Centro wants to push forward in providing equity in scholarship opportunities to students who have participated in Centro’s Youth Programs. We have realized that, when it comes to education for Dreamers and Latinx students, they face greater barriers to staying enrolled in college, since they face higher costs in education amidst being ineligible for in-state tuition.
For this Becas edition, we were able to provide four one-time scholarships of $4,500 for high school seniors, seven $10,000 annual awards for college students and, for the first time ever, a $20,000 graduate Becas scholarship, with a guarantee of receiving this amount until the awardee finishes her studies.
With the unique Centro mindset, Becas Luncheon was celebrated with traditional and pop Latin music from Angela Puerta, and dance performances from Ballet Folklórico de María Díaz.
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“I am honored to be the recipient of the BECA graduate award and feel blessed to receive the support of Centro Hispano,” said Karen Perez-Wilson, a Graduate School Scholar BECAS recipient. “Without their generous support and unwavering belief in me, I would be unable to complete my Juris Doctor. As a first-generation immigrant, Centro Hispano is not only changing my life but also the lives of my family members and those that follow us.”
If you want to become part of this 20 yead tradition and ignite the Youth Latine strength, you can start here.
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Pictured: Preliminary designs of the new Centro. |
Learn about the campaign:
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For almost 40 years Centro has served as a home and cornerstone of the Latinx community in Dane County. In the last ten years, both the needs and the support Centro offers has grown exponentially and the agency now sees 7,000+ individuals a year – more than three times more than it did ten years ago. All of Centro’s key programs carry waitlists and the agency is stretched to its maximum capacity.
Campaign Centro is a 15 million campaign to build a new HOME for the Latinx community in Dane County that is safe, strong and sustainable and to seed critically needed development of the agency’s workforce and educational programs. The campaign takes a unique approach which centers community in every part of the process, from fundraising strategy, to the building design, and strategic development of programs. The campaign has raised more than 70% of funds needed to date and will be breaking ground this year on the new building. The new Centro will be open to the public next year, in time for the agency’s 40th anniversary
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Save the Date for Upcoming Events |
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Save the Date for 2022 Evening of Dreaming about our new home on Wednesday, September 28th.
Get to know more about past Evenings of Dreaming here.
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More about Youth at Centro! |
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Avanzando Graduation
On May 5th at the Centro Plaza, “Avanzando Through College” celebrated its yearly graduation with Peruvian food, papel picado and good laughs. Although this program started amid the pandemic, Avanzando is growing and represents a much-needed space for mentorship among Latinx students going through college. Now a second cohort with 16 students has graduated!
With the help of Avanzando Student Ambassadors and Co-Facilitators, these students were provided with support from their mentors to transition and navigate their college in an open, safe, youth-led space to express themselves and learn together.
With the help of Avanzando Student Ambassadors and Co-Facilitators, these students were provided with support from their mentors to transition and navigate their college in an open, safe, youth-led space to express themselves and learn together.
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Alondra Quechol, Avanzando Through College Coordinator, inspires this second cohort by stating: “Hold your degree high. When you do, you will represent that we are the new wave of a new era and not another standing statistic”.. |
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Juventuras
Summer is also the time to just have fun, make unforgettable memories, and forge friendships. At Centro, we stay young through our Youth’s dreams, experiences, and adventures.
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Starting June 20th, our audacious Juventuras Coordinators: Cerxio, Rachel, Estefany and Arius led activities to enjoy nature, such as strolling around the Lussier Family Heritage Center, learning how to identify the many species of pollinators that benefit the plants and animals of our food web. Juventuras students have also enjoyed the Madison lakes and learned about the stormwater drainage system that sustains wildlife in our community. They even caught and identified sunfish, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and largemouth bass! |
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Coordinating all the Magic Behind: Maria Paula |
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We are fortunate enough to count on Maria Paula in the role of Youth Programs Manager. She started her position in the midst of the pandemic, and just as the summer rain came to freshen and nurture the gardens, Maria Paula arrived at Centro to refresh and nourish Youth.
In her most recent speech at the Becas Luncheon Event she wrote:
“All of us are here today because of each accepted intersection to unlock a new path. There is no right or wrong journey, it is our own and as such, it is valid and beautiful when it is lived in community and at our own pace.
The open invitation is to be present, proud, and enjoy the gift of being able to be in this space of community”.
Also, proud of her identity, she recently wrote in Our Lives Magazine:
"I am an example of a latine story, a personal struggle that was overcome. My shelter became my mind, and my freedom became my thoughts that could not be expressed freely. Centro promotes nurturing spaces where 230+ students can have a sense of belonging in their academic community, feel their work has value, know they can succeed and that their abilities and competencies grow with their effort to support their families, communities, and other students from an equitable, holistic lens".
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THANKS TO OUR AGENCY PARTNERS |
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Centro is a 501(c)3 organization located in Dane County, Wisconsin.
Our mission is Empowering Youth, Strengthening Families, Engaging the Community.
We envision that Dane County will be a community where Latino families can aspire upward, to reach their personal goals and dreams because they feel engaged and strengthened with the tools for success.
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