ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 24, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army and the LULAC National Education Service Centers (LNESC) have joined forces to promote leadership, educational and career opportunities for Hispanic students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Through this partnership, the Army will participate in the annual LNESC Washington Youth Leadership Seminar (WYLS), Oct. 3-5, in Washington, D.C. The three-day seminar brings together high performing Hispanic high school juniors and seniors to learn about critical issues and how these issues impact the Hispanic community.

During the WYLS, students will meet with legislators, policy makers, private sector leaders and U.S. Army representatives to discuss and explore challenges related to our nation's leadership in STEM fields. On the final day of the seminar, students will meet with elected officials to present their position on these issues and advocate for solutions developed during the workshops.

The Army's participation in the STEM focused WYLS events will include a tour of U.S. Army Cyber Command at Ft. Belvoir, Va. Additionally, Army ROTC representatives will take students through an intensive leadership exercise designed to introduce the students to the principles of leadership and how they are applied to everyday situations. The students will learn how personal leadership is developed and discuss the challenges Hispanic students face in achieving academic and professional success. The students will also examine opportunities and possible solutions to overcome these challenges, particularly in the STEM fields.

The Army is a longtime partner and sponsor of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the organization's education arm, LNESC. As the nation's largest provider of college scholarships the Army is dedicated to closing the education gap and annually grants nearly $270 million in merit-based ROTC scholarships for youth to complete their college education.

Further, the undergraduate engineering program at the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) at West Point is one of the oldest engineering schools in the U.S. and is recognized as having one of the top undergraduate engineering programs in the nation. Students pursuing degrees at West Point and through university ROTC programs receive world class leadership training, and upon graduation are commissioned as second lieutenants in the Army and can serve in a wide range of STEM related careers.

For more information about the Army visit: www.goarmy.com

For more information about LNESC visit: www.lnesc.org

SOURCE U.S. Army