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For many years, Dr. Nieto felt there was a need to develop an educational academy that promoted academic excellence, as well as leadership development, especially as it related to helping younger Chicano and Latino students’ dream to obtaining a higher education. In 2005 the mission of the Latino Academy became to identify, select and prepare groups of Chicano/Latino students to succeed in college and allow them them to learn the workforce skills necessary to succeed in life while, at the same time, to prepare them for commitment to their respective Chicano/Latino communities.
Dr. Nieto identified California State University Long
Beach with its strong its Chicano and Latino Studies Department
to begin the Academy program, and Chairman Dr. Victor Rodriguez
made it possible for the university to provide transfer-level
Chicano Studies classes to the Bakersfield area students. The
department supported these class offerings in Bakersfield
for the Latino Academy. President of CSULB, Dr. King Alexander,
not only supported the program, but made a pledge to meet with
the Latino Academy when the group visited the campus in 2006 and
2007.
Additionally, this program identified and assigned a series of
Chicano/Latino elementary and secondary students to the
college/university Latino Academy students as their mentees in
order to create a better chance for the younger students to
succeed in their elementary and secondary education. The goal
was to not only help them develop a desire to attend college,
but also subsequently to develop a successful professional
career. At the same time, Heritage of America also identified
and selected nearly 40 Latino professionals who acted as mentors
to the college students. Together, they created the Chicano
Latino Village or Community (Pueblo), whose aim was to promote
the education of college and elementary Chicano Latino students.
Their motto became "It takes a pueblo to educate a
student."
Each college student received a $2,500 scholarship, which paid their tuition and book expenses at CSULB and it also provided a lump sum for their overall expenses. The program started in the Fall of 2005 and operated in 2006 and 2007, with almost 50 college students and an equal number of elementary/secondary students. In addition, a number of professional Chicanos and Latinos in the areas of medicine, health care, education, local and state government, the media, business, arts, law, social work, corrections and music mentored the Academy students.
Chicano Latino Scholastic & Leadership Academy
Sponsorship Opportunities for Corporations and Individuals
Heritage of America and its friends invite you to become a sponsor of the Chicano Latino Scholastic & Leadership Academy established in September 2005. A person or corporation can become a sponsor for our students in the Academy which is composed of students from Bakersfield College and California State University Bakersfield. These students take specially designed classes from California State University Long Beach and they also mentor middle school or high school students and in turn are mentored by professionals in the Bakersfield community. These students maintain good academic standing in their institutions, and they are involved in community projects. You are encouraged to sponsor the Chicano Latino Scholastic & Leadership Academy students which is preparing the leaders of tomorrow. Please visit our sponsorship page for more information.
This PowerPoint presentation is a brief summary of the first year of the Chicano Latino Scholastic & Leadership Academy. A number of photos are shown in order to give the viewer an idea as to the various activities that the group participated in during this time.
- View the Summary PowerPoint of the 2005 - 2006 Latino Academy Recognition Dinner.
Television Spot, Both Spanish & English Version: Latino Academy Recruitment Segment
News Coverage: Chicano Achievement Scholastic Awards, May 20, 2006
Latino Academy Photos
 Latino Academy students attended a retreat at Pine Mountain Club in the Los Padres National Forest in December 2005. |
 On top of Cerro Noreste at the beginning of the hike.
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 At mid-point of the hike. |
 The Latino Academy hiked the Peak to Peak route from Cerro Noreste to Mt. Pinos in 2007, this photo at the end of the hike. |
Producer of film Walkout, shown at the Fox Theater, for our Latino Academy and the community: Montesuma Esparza (L to R) Yaoska Machado, Reporter at KKEY Telemundo Network; Norma Ontiveros Gaspar, Production Manager KKEY Telemundo Network; Montesuma Esparza, Producer of Walkout; Karla Leal, News Anchor KKEY Telemundo Network; Sam Monteros, Editor KKEY Telemundo Network. |
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More photos available
online (CSULB). More Photos available online (Latino Academy students meet Producer Danny Haro in Bakersfield during the premiere of Warrior of the Courts: Pancho Gonzalez). |
