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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
November 5, 2013 Kathy Mimberg
(202) 776-1714
kmimberg@nclr.org
Ten educators chosen for program that strengthens advocacy on behalf of Latino students
WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is pleased to announce that ten educators from California, Colorado, Minnesota and Utah were selected from a competitive pool of applicants as the 2013–2014 Fellows for the NILSL (National Institute for Latino School Leaders). NILSL, launched in 2011 by NCLR in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is the only institute that trains school administrators to advocate for national- and state-level policies that help strengthen the education of Latino students and English language learners.
The NILSL Fellows have decades of teaching and leadership experience working in public school settings with Hispanic students, the majority of whom are learning English and live in low-income communities. Designed for high-potential mid- to senior-level education leaders, the program provides training sessions geared toward providing the advocacy and communication skills needed to address issues important to Latino student achievement and urge national and state officials to consider these students’ needs when developing education policies.
“We congratulate the educators who were selected this year as Fellows for the National Institute for Latino School Leaders. The perspectives of these exceptional school leaders are grounded in the knowledge and experience they have gained working with Hispanic students and their families. Their voices will strengthen NCLR’s advocacy for policies that can help Hispanic students succeed,” said Margaret R. McLeod, Deputy Vice President, Education and Workforce Development, NCLR.
The Institute is focused on elevating the voices of school leaders advocating for reform measures, accountability systems and quality programs aimed at improving the educational outcomes of students in the Latino community. During a nine-month program, the NILSL Fellows will explore a pressing policy topic affecting Hispanic and English-learning students, culminating with their presentation of a policy memo to a panel of national experts. The first training session will take place in Los Angeles, Calif., on November 14–15, 2013.
The NILSL Fellows are based at schools that belong to NCLR’s extensive Affiliate Network of community organizations throughout the U.S. and share a common vision, mission and purpose. The 2013–2014 NILSL Fellows include the following: Crystal Jo Gallegos, Chavez/Huerta K–12 Preparatory Academy (Pueblo, Colo.); Ruby Lee, CLUES/Comunidas Latinas Unidas en Servicio (St. Paul, Minn.); Ricardo Mireles, Academia Avance (Los Angeles); Angelica Maria Solis, Alliance for a Better Community (Los Angeles); Janet Sue Alvarez, Para Los Niños (Los Angeles); Connie Rivas, PUC Schools (Los Angeles); Jennifer Amador Mayer-Glenn, Utah Coalition of La Raza (Salt Lake City, Utah); Kevin Jacob Myers, YPI Charter Schools (Los Angeles); Sarah Figueroa, Camino Nuevo Academy (Los Angeles) and Jill Renee Toussaint, GOAL Academy (Pueblo, Colo.).
“The NILSL Fellows’ commitment to uplift the Latino community is evident in their years of service in urban public school settings. Working together, their advocacy on behalf of Hispanic students will be stronger than ever,” said McLeod.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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