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Diversifying the High-Tech Industry

INVESTING IN LATINOS FROM CRADLE TO CAREER

Our Educational Excellence Inititive is comprised of the following components all in an effort to level the playing field among Latinos in our region.

01. Latinos in Technology
02. Hispanic Foundation College Success Center
03. Parent Engagement
04. STEM Education


Latinos in Technology

Latinos account for a large percentage of the Silicon Valley population (26%). The Latino community will double in population in the next 30 years, and yet, less than 3% of them are in the high-tech industry. It is important to note that these statistics are for the industry’s total workforce including non-technical positions. So, it would be safe to speculate the problem is even greater for technical and executive positions.

The Time To Act Is Now!

Convening and engaging the community for the betterment of Silicon Valley Latinos is one of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley’s (HFSV) three pillar priorities. The time has come to convene and engage high-tech leadership around a comprehensive and impactful initiative. To do just that, the HFSV is proposing the Latinos in Technology Initiative.

The Solution:
Latinos In Technology Initiative (LITI)

Latinos in Technology Initiative will be comprised of two components:



Latinos in Technology Scholarship (LITS)
This program will provide up to 100 scholarships annually for five (5) years to incoming Latino college juniors who have chosen a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) related major. Additionally, sponsoring corporate investors will provide summer internships to the scholarship recipients.




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Hispanic Foundation Success Center (HFSC)
The Hispanic Foundation Success Center is a program devised to provide resources to the East Side San Jose community. The goal is to offer access to information and programs that will empower families to create a roadmap towards a college-oriented future. Through workshops, programs, college advising and information/seminars students will have an opportunity to go to and through college.



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STEM Education

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Issues affecting Hispanic student achievement are well chronicled, including the lack of quality affordable pre-school education, low English reading comprehension, lack of role models, and low enrollment in high school math and science courses needed for college. These are just a few of the factors contributing low numbers of Hispanics pursuing hi-tech careers. The Hispanic population of Silicon Valley is close to 30%, yet our representation in the ranks of local hi-tech firms is below 3%.

The Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley (HFSV) strongly believes that the future of our Hispanic community in Silicon Valley and the nation depends on the current generation of students being more successful in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum.

Elevate [Math]/Elevate [Math] Plus and Math Acceleration Program

Increasing education opportunities for Latino students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is the primary focus of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley’s (HFSV) education strategy. The HFSV is a Partner with the Silicon Valley Education Foundation’s (SVEF) Elevate [Math] and Elevate [Math] Plus programs, and ALearn’s Math Acceleration Program which are “out of school” math/Algebra programs designed to elevate the achievement of middle school students.

These programs aim to help 7th and 8th grade students prepare for success in math. Research has shown that successful completion of Algebra 1 by the 8th grade is a key predictor of a student’s probability of getting on the college track and achieving college graduation.




Program Partners


Parent Engagement

Working to Educate and Engage Latino Parents

Our mission is to increase educational opportunities for Latino students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and to close the Latino student achievement gap. We are working to accomplish the latter with the Parent Education Academy (PEA).



Overview
The HFSV has partnered with the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) to prepare Latino parents to support their children to achieve greater educational success. Both the HFSV and PIQE want to engage parents and family members to be leaders guiding their children towards high school and college graduation. Obtaining both a high school diploma and college degree is the path to a fulfilling and fruitful career in the Silicon Valley job market.





PEA PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES





  • 1. Educate Latino parents on the public school system, structure, and processes


  • 2. Train parents to serve as an advocate for the child's education


  • 3. Teach parents about the importance of a high school and college education


  • 4. Create a sense of investment in the child's education through personal engagement


  • 5. Foster a positive learning environment between the school, teacher, parent, and student


  • 6. Increase high school and college graduation rates for Latino students


Social Return On Investment:
Studies have shown that *"when parents complete a parent education program, 93% of their children graduate from high school” vs. 70% in all Silicon Valley (Silicon Valley includes San Mateo and Santa Clara counties).

*Vidano, Gonzalo and Massoud Sahafi. Parent Institute for Quality Education Organization Special Report on PIQE’s Performance Evaluation. December 2004. San Diego State University College of Business Administration Marketing Department. Web. 18 Mar 2014



Program Partners


HFCSC FundersHFCSC Funders