Summer Latino Leadership Institute

The Summer Latino Leadership Institute was started in 1994 to assist in the organizational development of groups that will host the Annual Latino Youth Leadership Convention. Given the fact that students who will co-sponsor the convention have had limited exposure to the organizing of statewide activities, and recognizing that the level of development of the various local youth groups is different, the System Social Equity Office conducts this two-week program to prepare convention co-sponsors for the responsibility which they have assumed. In addition to identifying the four areas which will be covered at the convention workshops, the group which serves as our co-sponsor is a key participant in the organizing and running of the convention. The group co-sponsoring the youth convention in the spring of the next year is invited to participate. A second group, whose task is to support the leadership of the convention hosts, is also selected.

The Summer Latino Leadership Institute can best be described as a leadership immersion program. Participants are expected to display their best leadership during the course of the institute and are informed of this expectation. The summer institute infuses leadership enhancement into the various components of the program: leadership training, academic preparation, cultural awareness and recreation. They receive continuous reinforcement during all aspects of the program, i.e., during training, field trips, leisure time, etc. The schedule is a challenging and motivating one with students being involved in leadership-related activities from 9:00 AM until 9:00 PM.

The Institute has the following goals:

1. to assist students in the development of Latino youth clubs;
2. to prepare future convention hosts to assume the responsibility in the organizing and running of the convention;
3. to help students develop a responsible working relationship among themselves;
4. to create networks among the various youth clubs;
5. to expose students in a positive manner to the differences and commonalities among different groups (including Puerto Ricans and other Latinos);
6. to assist students through the arts to become better familiarized with the Puerto Rican culture;
7. to promote self-discipline and task-completion; and
8. to attract students to higher education by exposing them to a positive and enjoyable college experience. Additional training and technical support is given to both youth groups during the academic year following the summer institute.

As part of the institute the students have visited Indiana University of Pennsylvania for a technology workshop. In addition to exploring the World Wide Web, students have created their own homepages.

The Summer Latino Leadership Institute takes place at the State System's McKeever Environmental Center and Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.

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