By Victor Ruiz
Last year, Esperanza celebrated thirty years of service to the community, adding to the growing list of students whose lives have been changed through the valiant efforts we make to help them graduate from high school and enter college.
This year, Esperanza has been recognized in numerous newspaper articles and prominent national publications such as Forbes Magazine. We have established close ties with the leadership of the school district and built relationships with key White House officials involved in education. Esperanza has become the acknowledged go-to organization on matters related to Hispanic academic achievement in the community.
That’s why I’m excited to share one of Esperanza’s success stories with you.
Imagine you are a first-generation Mexican American with aptitude and drive. Your parents immigrated to the United States when they were young and worked hard so one day you would be able to achieve the American Dream. Soon you will graduate high school, and will be the first in your family to enroll in college.
Thanks to people who cared enough to invest in her future, Guadalupe started classes this fall at Columbia University in New York City. Recently she reported on how well she is doing, scoring a B+ on her calculus exam! We are so proud to be part of this success story, and eager to learn about the great things she will accomplish with the most important gift of all…the gift of an education.
Imagine you are Guadalupe.
Esperanza is hope for the hundreds of students enrolled in our programs who come to us with great potential but who face similar challenges and circumstances. We work hand in hand with them, providing academic support and personal guidance every step of the way.
Our holistic approach results in higher self-esteem, better attendance, increased GPAs, and students that graduate high school confident and prepared with plans for a college education and a rewarding career.
Additionally, thanks in part to our collaboration with and our direct programming in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, the Hispanic high school graduation rate doubled from 30% in 2010 to 61% in 2013. Most encouraging is the fact that more and more of our children are going to college. This year alone, Esperanza awarded over 100 college scholarships!
On behalf of Guadalupe, and the thousands of students touched by Esperanza, thank you for believing in them, and in us. We humbly ask you to make an investment today in future Cleveland Hispanic leaders with your generous donation towards the long-term sustainability of our programs and scholarships.
We wish you a wonderful holiday season and look forward to you joining us in another great year of changing lives.
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