Project: Dream for Tomorrow aims to inspire students

The Organización de Estudiantes Latino-Americanos at Boise State University is hosting its annual youth gathering this weekend, for the 10th year running.

Ulises Trujillo Garcia, president of OELA, said he expects more than 80 students from the Magic and Treasure valleys, as well as Eastern Oregon, to attend this year’s Project: Dream for Tomorrow event. 

OELA hosts Project: Dream for Tomorrow to help expose students to college opportunities. The overnight event gives high school students a feel for campus life at Boise State, teaches them about financial aid and housing, and connects youth with mentors and inspirational speakers.

“What makes it so unique is that we have student speakers,” Garcia said. “Seeing a professional is one thing but seeing someone that is almost your age, or your age, you can see yourself there as well.”

Garcia was a mentor and a keynote speaker at last year’s event, where he shared his story of immigrating to the United States from Mexico, graduating from high school in Nyssa, Ore., and deciding to pursue an engineering degree at Boise State.

One of Garcia’s mentees from last year told him that Project: Dream for Tomorrow inspired him to pursue higher education.

“It’s about giving back to my community and changing lives,” Garcia said. “I’m excited to see that happen again this year and in upcoming years.”

Foundation donates 98k to education projects

The Idaho Community Foundation has awarded $98,000 in grants for education projects in Idaho, the Post Register reports.

Amounts and recipients include:

•  $15,000 for the Madison School District to purchase books for preschool and elementary students.
• $20,000 for the Idaho Falls Family YMCA to expand an early-learning program and improve access to enrichment activities for children in low-income families.
• $17,800 for Island Park Charter School to purchase supplies for elementary students.
• $19,500 for Lee Pesky Learning Center to provide evidence-based literacy training and mentoring 31 early childhood educators in Shelley and Jerome.

An anonymous couple from Blaine County established the Idaho Future Fund, administered by the foundation, to reinvigorate educational programs throughout the state.

Other grant recipients include the North Gem Education Foundation, My World Discovery Museum and the Oneida County Library.

Skyview High raising funds to help families fighting cancer

Skyview High School business students are selling pink T-shirts to raise funds for Treasure Valley families battling cancer.

Supporters can buy a $10 shirt from teacher Jen Salois. Supporters can also email Salois at [email protected] to reserve a shirt. Students are also selling the shirts during lunch in the cafeteria.

Proceeds will benefit three recipients:

• A Union High School teacher battling breast cancer.
• A community member whose 32-year-old wife is battling Stage 4 breast cancer.
• A South Middle School student whose mother died unexpectedly a week ago and whose dad was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer.

The annual student-led cancer-awareness program has raised thousands of dollars for local families and students over the last two years, said Nampa School District spokeswoman Kathleen Tuck.

Students are also selling $1 bracelets bearing phrases, “Nampa Tackles Cancer” and “No One Fights Alone.”

Students hope to fill the Skyview stadium with pink T-shirts for tonight’s football game, Tuck said.

Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs hosts more than a thousand students at Youth Leadership Summits

More than 1,500 youths attended this year’s Hispanic Youth Leadership Summits, which the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs hosted in Twin Falls and Boise.

At the annual summits, middle and high school students visit workshops about college, careers and civic engagement and hear from speakers. Many receive scholarships from regional colleges and universities.

At Boise State’s summit earlier this week, students practiced coding with Micron representatives, built newspaper-and-tape towers in an engineering challenge and heard from Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, who spoke about his decision to reveal his status as an undocumented immigrant.

“It is important that the students know their lives are worth more than pieces of paper or laws that have not passed yet,” Vargas told the Idaho Press in an interview.  “The most dangerous thing is believing and internalizing what people say about us, we start creating our own walls, we put up our own borders.”

Youths at this year’s summits received a combined $3.5 million in college scholarship offers.

Investment firm sends $4,000 to student savings accounts

Boise-based investment firm Perspective Wealth Partners has contributed $4,000 to the college savings accounts of eight Idaho children.

The following Treasure Valley elementary students each received $500 in their Ideal College Savings Program accounts earlier this month:

• Ramon Valdez.
• Sidonie Herbeck.
• Cal Pape.
• Loey Brandel.
• Aiden Brouard.
• Reece Harshberger.
• Kian Booher.
• Audrey Handley.

“A child’s education is likely one of the biggest expenses a family will face,” said Perspective Wealth Partners President James Bailey.

Children were selected randomly from respective age categories.

Idaho’s Ideal College Savings Program is a state sponsored, tax-advantage savings plan that helps families pay for college.