For this year’s Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham’s Great Community Give, SLI scholars shared in response to the question “What brings you joy?”
During the campaign 39 donors contributed $9,350 to SLI’s mission to support Latino/a/x high school students with college access through rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, scholarships, and supportive mentorships. Thank you!
A celebration of college access opportunities for Scholars Latino Initiative scholars, COVID-conscious Noche de Salsa ’21 at Steven Toyota in Harrisonburg featured a Latin-flavor drive-thru dinner & margarita with park & watch live Salsa dancing and an online raffle.
Below, read words of thanks from SLI Board Chair Jason Good and recognize Noche de Salsa’s generous sponsors.
A message from Jason Good, Chair of the SLI Board of Directors:
On behalf of the board of the Scholars Latino Initiative, thank you for your support. Thank you, thank you. By partnering with SLI, you undoubtedly directly made a positive impact in our communities. Since our founding in the Shenandoah Valley in 2012, our SLI family of supporters has consistently grown through new donors and increasing generosity, driving our work to support Latino/x high school students with college access through rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, scholarships, and supportive mentorships.
In just the last five years, you have tripled your donations. Tripled. As a volunteer board and a community based non-profit organization, this immense generosity makes our work possible. These donations have a direct impact on the scholars. In 2021, our annual budget now has over $100,000 allotted for direct scholar financial support through scholarships, computer awards, and dual enrollment support. The family of SLI scholars now has grown to 118 current scholars and alumni who have attended more than 20 colleges and universities.
We are not an organization that only provides financial support. SLI is built on providing comprehensive support and partnership with students through rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, and supportive mentorships. Our programming directors, including university faculty and high school teachers, are truly training the leaders of tomorrow.
We are humbled and honored by the stories of incredible scholars. Gino ’22, arriving in the US as a freshman in high school from El Salvador without speaking English, joined SLI as a sophomore and by the end of his junior year had a 4.1 GPA, was taking multiple AP, dual enrollment, and honors courses, and is planning on studying computer science in college.
Julia ’19, a first generation SLI college student, shared “Scholars Latino Initiative has changed my life tremendously and has provided me with help in many ways, giving me guidance and helping me financially and emotionally… When I had the opportunity to join SLI, I saw doors open my way. I was able to meet more people like me who wanted to achieve their dreams. I was able to connect with important people who would academically guide me to choose the right path for my future.”
Thank you for joining us on this day and for your incredible generosity. We are honored to work in the community and partner with incredible organizations, companies, schools, and community members like you.
Un mensaje de Jason Good, el presidente de la junta directiva de SLI:
De parte de la junta directiva de Scholars Latino Initiative, gracias por su apoyo. ¡Gracias, gracias! Al colaborar con SLI, sin duda, han tenido un impacto positivo en nuestras comunidades. Desde nuestro establecimiento en el valle en 2012, nuestra familia de partidarios ha crecida con donantes nuevos y generosidad cada vez mayor, haciéndolo posible realizar nuestro trabajo apoyando estudiantes Latinos y Latinx con crear oportunidades de estudiar una carrera universitaria desde nuestros programas de preparación académica, desarrollo de liderazgo, becas, y mentores y amistades que ofrecen un apoyo social y la fortaleza para enfrentarse a las dificultades que acompañan acceder al sistema educativo.
En solo los últimos cinco años, han triplicado las donaciones. Triplicado. Como una junta directiva voluntaria y una organización comunitaria sin ánimo de lucro, esta generosidad inmensa resulta en que nuestro trabajo sea posible. Estas donaciones tienen un impacto directo con los estudiantes. En 2021, nuestro presupuesto ahora tiene más de cien mil dólares asignados para apoyo financiero estudiantil directo a través de becas para la matrícula universitaria, becas para computadoras y becas para los cursos dual-enrollment. La familia de scholars de SLI ha crecido a 118 estudiantes actuales y ex alumnos quienes han asistido a más de 20 universidades.
No somos una organización que solo ofrece apoyo financiero. SLI fue establecido con la filosofía de proveer apoyo comprensivo que incluye preparación académica, desarrollo de liderazgo, y mentores y amistades de apoyo. Nuestros directores de programas, incluyendo profesores universitarios y maestros de las escuelas, verdaderamente están preparando los líderes del futuro.
Las historias y testimonios de los estudiantes nos dan honor y humildad. Gino ’22, llegando a los Estados Unidos en noveno grado de El Salvador sin hablar inglés, empezó con SLI en su segundo año de high school y a terminar su tercer año tenía un GPA de 4.1, estaba tomando varias clases de AP, dual enrollment y honores, y está planeando estudiar ciencias de computación en la universidad.
Julia ’19, una alumna de SLI de primera generación universitaria comentó que SLI ha cambiado su vida de una manera tremendo y la ha ayudado de varias maneras, dándole apoyo y ayudándola emocionalmente y financieramente. Cuando tenía la oportunidad de empezar con SLI, vio puertas abrir y tenía la oportunidad de conocer a otros como ella quienes querían realizar sus sueños. Podía conectar con personas importantes quienes la ayudaron a escoger el camino correcto para su futuro.
Gracias por estar con nosotros en este día y por su generosidad increíble. Tenemos el honor de trabajar en la comunidad y colaborar con organizaciones, compañías, escuelas y miembros de la comunidad increíbles como ustedes.
And Thank you! to the local businesses and organizations that donated raffle prizes:
Moderated by Karina Kline-Gabel, vice chair of the SLI board of directors and of the Virginia Latino Advisory Board, this Scholars Latino Initiative presentation for SLI scholars and additional student groups featured leaders sharing about their careers and professional experiences.
Panelists included:
*Maribel Castañeda, Director of Appointments and Director of Latino Outreach, Governor Ralph S. Northam
*Kevin Gabel, Director of Construction Management, Lantz Construction
*Silvia Garcia-Romero, Cultural Diversity Manager, Sentara RMH
*Patty Gavilan, RN, CMI – Manager, Language Services Department, Bon Secours Mercy Health
*Tanya Gonzalez, Executive Director, Sacred Heart Center
*Charles A. Martorana, Valley Region President, Blue Ridge Bank
Thank you, Great Community Give!
Sixty-six donors gave $15,246 to help Scholars Latino Initiative provide college scholarships, computer awards, dual enrollment tuition assistance, and college opportunities for Latinx students.
As SLI alumna Sofiá ’16 said recently: “SLI was a very eye-opening program for me. I had amazing mentors who guided me in my educational path, as well as that ‘push’ to keep me going. From not believing I could obtain a college degree to now working on my graduate degree is honestly a huge blessing and a great honor to my family!”
Thanks to the Give, SLI’s community of support is growing – which means greater impact for SLI scholars like Sofía.
Guests at this virtual event discovered the Scholars Latino Initiative’s Richmond, Virginia program through the experiences of its scholars, mentors, and founder. The event was sponsored by Truist Financial, and hosted by Lyons Sanchezconcha of the Virginia Latino Advisory Board and Amelia Castañeda of Richmond Public Schools.
Aprenda sobre el programa de Scholars Latino Initiative a través de las experiencias de los estudiantes, los tutores y los líderes de la organización en este evento virtual.
Presentado por Karina Kline-Gabel de la junta Virginia Latino Advisory Board y Sal Romero de las escuelas públicas de Harrisonburg Public Schools. Patrocinado por Rocktown Realty.
The Winchester, Virginia program of Scholars Latino Initiative was featured in a virtual “Meet SLI” event hosted by Bryan Pearce-Gonzales, member of the SLI Board of Directors, professor of Hispanic Studies at Shenandoah University, and member of the WPS School Board. It featured SLI mentors and scholars sharing about their experiences.
#SLIGivingTuesday, which raised more than $11,000 to support SLI computer awards and dual enrollment tuition assistance, highlighted SLI scholars, mentors, and board members. Pledged matching funds doubled the impact of generous donors.
GivingTuesday matching funds generously provided by:
PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Young | The Breeze
Noche de Salsa 2020 (in pandemic-friendly form!) featured a drive-through takeout dinner from Salgado’s Pupuseria y Taqueria. As guests drove through the Steven Toyota service building to receive their food, they saw performing dancers from Salsaburg and the Friendly City Dance Room, received diplomas of gratitude, and were invited to make scholarship donations to support SLI’s mission to create college opportunities for Latino/x students.
Media coverage:
Scholars Latino Initiative to convert its fundraiser into a drive-through event
Scholars Latino Initiative dances around COVID-19 for fundraiser
Among the Noche de Salsa 2020 recognees were Michael Walsh, Dean of Admissions at James Madison University, and Gloria M. Figueroa-Vargas, Maestra de Español, M.A., Teacher of Spanish as a Foreign Language and Its Culture at Harrisonburg High School:
“When my father was 18 months old, he lost his father in a mine accident,” Walsh recalls. “When he finished high school in 1936, he was able to be the first in his family to attend college because the high school teachers, the college faculty, and community leaders worked together to give him the opportunity. I honor his memory by helping provide first-generation students the same opportunity my father was given.”
“Nonprofit organizations as SLI are essential in our schools to ensure support and empowerment for our Latinx students and their families,” Figueroa-Vargas said. “SLI focuses on supporting our students academically and being proud of their heritage.”
Guests at this virtual event learned about the Scholars Latino Initiative in Richmond. Hosted by Cecilia Barbosa, chair of the Virginia Latino Advisory Board, the event featured the SLI founder as well as SLI alumni.
