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Last week, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) joined with partners PROMESA: East Harlem Council for Community Improvement, Inc. (PROMESA/EHCCI) and PepsiCo Foundation to announce a new initiative to help Latino students in East Harlem graduate from high school, prepare for college, and explore career opportunities. PROMESA/EHCCI will be the site of the first Escalera: Taking Steps to Success program in New York, modeled after successful Escalera programs in Chicago and Los Angeles.

“Latinos are the least likely of all workers to have a college degree. NCLR’s Escalera program is a proven way of bringing together corporate and community partners to help more Hispanic youth succeed in college and in their careers,” said Sonia M. Pérez, NCLR Senior Vice President, Affiliate Member Services.

The Escalera program in East Harlem has enrolled 15 Latino high school juniors from seven schools: All Hallows High School, Cardinal Hayes High School, Heritage High School, Hostos-Lincoln Academy, Jane Addams High School, Park East High School, and St. Jean Baptiste School. They will gain access to mentors, internship opportunities, tutoring, computer training, and assistance with exploring colleges and applying for admission and financial aid. The Escalera program will continue working with these students during their first year of college.

“PROMESA Systems, Inc., through its affiliate, the EHCCI-New York Bilingual Institute, is excited to be partnering with NCLR to implement the Escalera youth program in East Harlem, the cradle of the Puerto Rican/Latino community in New York,” said Rubén Medina, CEO, PROMESA.

“Economic mobility through education, career planning, and access to quality, well-paying jobs for our youth should be everyone’s priority. The Escalera program partnership is a first step in the right direction,” said Raul Rodriguez, Executive Director, EHCCI.

The Escalera: Taking Steps to Success program was launched in 2002 by NCLR with support from PepsiCo Foundation and PepsiCo Inc. Escalera programs run by the AltaMed Health Services Corporation in Los Angeles and Instituto del Progreso Latino in Chicago have achieved tremendous results.

The Escalera program helps Latino high school students who are at risk of dropping out earn a high school diploma, plan for college, and explore career opportunities. Over a
15-month period, the Escalera program provides critical exposure, skill-building, and success strategies to help Latino youth from senior year in high school to work internships, the college applications process, and funding labyrinths, and prepares them for college admission.

Since the program’s inception, 98% of all participants have graduated from high school, and 96% of those who completed the program have been accepted to college.

In comparison, recent data from a 2004 study by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University show that 30% of Latino youth in New York City and 53% nationally graduate from high school. Further, the National Center for Education Statistics found that, in 2005, only 38% of Latino youth in the U.S. went on to college.

“The Escalera program is a poignant and enriching example of how one hardworking partnership – the National Council of La Raza and PepsiCo – surrounded motivated Latino young adults with the support and resources needed to help them achieve their potential. Its success is indisputable. And we are eager to see it positively impact the lives of many more young adults across the country as the program expands to additional cities in 2007,” said John C. Compton, President and Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo North America.

For more information about the Escalera: Taking Steps to Success program and Escalera graduates go to http://www.nclr.org/content/programs/detail/814/