U.S. Army Promotes Education During Hispanic Heritage Month Through Partnerships with Leading Latino Organizations

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army will again join the nation in recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) by highlighting the educational, leadership and career opportunities it provides for Hispanic youth. The Army will partner with key Latino organizations to help develop the next generation of leaders – either for military or civilian careers – with a particular focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). These partnerships include the Army's support of programs and events hosted by the University of Texas - Pan American, New Futuro, LULAC National Education Service Centers, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and Great Minds in STEM.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120917/CL75573 )

Hispanics currently represent nearly 24 percent of all K-12 public school students and are the largest minority group among the nation's four-year college and university students. However, a recent report by the U.S. Department of Education highlights that Hispanic youth are far more likely to drop out of high school than other groups, and Latino students who make it to college are far less likely to graduate than students of other ethnicities.

Because of this disparity, the Army has renewed its commitment to work with national and local Hispanic organizations to narrow the education gap by ensuring students, teachers and parents are aware of the resources and benefits the Army provides to support academic success. These resources include the free March2Success program which prepares students for college admissions exams and the merit-based Army ROTC scholarship and leadership development program which provides students with the financial means to complete college, as well as the skills to succeed after graduation. 

"The U.S. Army has a long-standing commitment to educating our nation's youth and ensuring they receive the tools and training needed to succeed in their chosen field," said John Myers, Director of Marketing, Army Marketing and Research Group. "By forming partnerships with these important organizations, we are able to help thousands of students reach their academic and career goals, and in doing so, help strengthen our communities and our nation."

The Army will highlight its benefits, as well as the more than 150 career opportunities available within the Army, at events across the country, including:

• Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) Week
  • Sept. 23-29, Edinburg, Texas:  The Army will sponsor the week-long STEM fair at the University of Texas-Pan American to promote related educational benefits and career opportunities available in civilian and military roles within the Army.
• New Futuro "Brighter Future" Program
  • Sept. 29, Pasadena, Calif.:  The Army will sponsor a series of free college prep fairs for Latinos to promote education, college scholarships and the Army ROTC program to students and their parents.
• LULAC National Educational Service Centers (LNESC) Washington Youth Leadership Seminar (WYLS)
  • Oct. 3-6, Washington D.C.:  The Army will sponsor the Washington Youth Leadership Seminar, which gathers high achieving Hispanic students from across the country to discuss leadership and explore careers in STEM.
• Great Minds in STEM HENAAC Conference
  • Oct. 11-13, Orlando:  The Army will sponsor this annual Hispanic STEM convention to highlight its educational resources and career opportunities to students, and STEM professionals. 
• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) National Conference          
  • Oct. 19-22, Washington, D.C.:  The Army will support and attend this annual gathering of educators, administrators and students to highlight the numerous educational resources and career opportunities available through the Army.

SOURCE U.S. Army