INDIANAPOLIS— On Tuesday morning, 2,700 Latino high school students were inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the Latino Education Summit.
Jade Calderon was talking to people at the Ivy Tech Table.
"I’ve been planning to go there," said Calderon.
She wants to find out more about the college and financial aid resources.
"Going to college for me it’s such a big part of me and almost a part of my identity. I want to do it because my parents are immigrants and I’m a first generation here so I want to like do that dream that they never got to accomplish," said Calderon.
The summit put on by the Indiana Latino Institute includes 60 employers and universities. IU Kokomo was one of the schools there. JR Pico was there talking to students about the university. He's also from Colombia.
"I am here in this country because of my education, and I would like this new generation to see the importance of education, getting a degree, and improving their lives," said Pico.
The summit gives high school students the opportunity to learn about resources like financial aid, scholarships, and different career options.
"I believe that education is the key to end poverty and this is what we want to provide our Latino students to provide them with the opportunity to access these resources," said Marlene Dotson, the president of the Indiana Latino Institute.
Dotson says Latinos are the largest minority in grades K-12 here in Indiana. According to the most recent College Equity Report only 49% of Hispanic high school graduates go to college.
"The Latino population for so long has been under served and this is a message to tell our entire community through the state to say Latinos are eager to learn, eager to succeed, we just have to give them the opportunity," said Dotson.
One more summit will be held in Evansville on September 20th.
