HARRISONBURG, VA – The college access nonprofit Scholars Latino Initiative event “SLI Celebración ’24” highlighted not just delicious foods and drinks, great music and dancing (and more!), but also the successes of its scholars.
Sponsored by many community-minded organizations, businesses, and individuals, and held at Harrisonburg’s stunning downtown venue The Loft at Liberty St., the event included sharing by SLI alumni plus featured a wide variety of foods, wine and donated Three Notch’d beers, dancing to the music of Lua Project, a 50/50 raffle and silent auction.
With programs in Harrisonburg, Richmond, and Winchester, Virginia, SLI’s mission is to support Latino/a/x high school students with college access through rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, scholarships, and supportive mentorships. Through collaborations with university and high school staff, faculty, and students, SLI provides college access opportunities throughout high school. In addition, its scholars can become eligible for financial support for college success. Since 2012 SLI has served 201 scholars (71 current and 130 alumni) and awarded nearly $700,000 in financial support for students. SLI alumni have attended 25 colleges and universities, primarily in Virginia.
For 2025 SLI has budgeted a record $264,500 for college scholarships, technology grants, and college dual enrollment and Advanced Placement course tuition assistance. DONATE HERE
“SLI provided me with opportunities that shaped my future,” SLI alumna Kellyn Rivera (Harrisonburg High School ’18, Virginia Tech ’22, pictured top left) shared during the event. “Being part of SLI opened doors I never knew existed.”
Rivera, who plans to begin medical school in 2025, was one of three alumni who spoke about their SLI experiences.
“I remember when I first joined SLI in Richmond,” said SLI alumna Irais Barrera (George Wythe High School ’21). “I was a fifteen-year-old newcomer, born and raised in Mexico, who emigrated to the U.S. I knew very little English and for a long time, I thought that college was not an option for me until I met [SLI founder and Richmond program director] Dr. Kaufman, who welcomed me to SLI.”
Now a political science and Hispanic Studies double major at Eastern Mennonite University with a goal of attending law school, Barrera has been active in the Latinx Student Association and the Student Government Association.
“I can proudly say that SLI inspired me not only to attend college but to make a difference and make the most of it,” Barrera said to donors. “I am truly grateful for all the donors who are making this possible for me and for so many other students; you are truly changing our lives and you are making our dreams come true.” WATCH IRAIS’S SPEECH
Also sharing was Winchester SLI alumnus Everth Hernandez (John Handley High School ‘21), a senior nursing student at Shenandoah University who plans to become a nurse anesthetist.
“SLI provided me with the guidance and orientation I needed to tackle the transition from high school to college,” he said. “SLI helped me believe in myself, letting me come across people who truly cared about me and my goals.”
He added, “The financial contribution that SLI offered me was like a beacon of light for a kid who had sleepless nights over how he would alleviate any of the financial burdens that came with college.” WATCH EVERTH’S SPEECH
Also speaking were SLI board members and Harrisonburg program directors Carlos Alemán, professor of communications at James Madison University, and Hannah Bowman Hrasky, a teacher at Rocktown High School, and SLI board chair Fawn-Amber Montoya, professor of history at James Madison University.
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Following the speeches were a Bolivian traditional dance by Shenandoah University student Leah Sejas, and then dancing to the music of Charlottesville-based Lua Project.
Returning to the SLI event for the third time, Lua performs Mexilachian music, a new style of traditional music inspired by the sounds of Mexico, Appalachia, and the Atlantic Basin. A cultural pollinator, Lua bridges together musical styles from different continents and different centuries. They write about contemporary themes, about families, and communities, of work and loss, but draw on the musical traditions of their own cultural past.
Celebración foods and beverages, coordinated by Jan Henley, were made by A Bowl of Good, Casa Gallardo, El Sol, La Bendición Bakery, La Morena, Merge Coffee Company, Mi Placita, Mi Pueblito 2, and Three Notch’d Brewery, which donated the beer.
Silent auction items included gift cards to the food and drink vendors as well as gift baskets such as the hottest item, a “margarita basket” donated by Montoya. The winner of the 50/50 raffle, former SLI board member Laura Feichtinger McGrath, donated her winnings so that 100 percent of the proceeds would benefit students.
The event was generously sponsored by Bank of the James, Blue Ridge Community College, Bridgewater College, Cargill, Eastern Mennonite University, Everence Financial, F&M Bank, Glass & Metals, Harrisonburg City Public Schools, Herr & Co. Building Contractors, InterChange Group, JMU Honors College, LD&B Insurance and Financial Services, Park View Federal Credit Union, Sentara Health, Shining Accounting Services, Steven Toyota, two six seventy7 creative, and SLI founder Peter Iver Kaufman, Christopher & Maria Clymer Kurtz, Dick & Pat Gardner, Phil & Loretta Helmuth, Brent Holsinger & Laura Toni-Holsinger, and Larry Miller & Liz Yoder.
Celebración speech by SLI alumna Irais
“To talk about SLI is to talk about resilience, patience, support, love, and individuals willing to help others achieve their dreams.
I remember when I first joined SLI in Richmond. I was a fifteen-year-old newcomer, born and raised in Mexico, who emigrated to the U.S. I knew very little English and for a long time, I thought that college was not an option for me until I met [SLI Founder] Dr. Kaufman, who welcomed me to SLI.
From there, I met people with the same interests, dreams, hopes, and aspirations as me. Thanks to SLI, I improved my writing skills through their early college classes taught by Dr. Kaufman. He challenged us to step out of our comfort zones by having us write ten-page essays on different topics. Thanks to the SLI program, I learned how to properly write an essay, be critical, analyze, ask questions, and remain unbiased when writing. We also had mentors who were students from the University of Richmond, willing to give us their time, energy, and help, mentors that were more than mentors. To me my mentors were my friends, and my role models. My mentors, Sofia and Alejandra, helped me in every way possible, guiding me through writing long papers and the process of applying for different colleges and scholarships. They were always there for me.
The memories I cherish the most are those SLI meetings we had every month, where we could bring our parents to hear from other parents about the importance of their support and patience. In those meetings, we would first meet and eat together—families, mentors, mentees, and Dr. Kaufman. It was always such a pleasure because afterward, we would have an Early College session which helped me to prepare for college academically.
I am currently a double major in political science and Hispanic Studies at EMU. I have been part of Latinx Student Association and the Student Government Association as well. I initiated a project to provide free menstrual hygiene products at my college, and today, my project has become a reality. I can proudly say that SLI inspired me not only to attend college but to make a difference and make the most of it. I am truly grateful for all the donors who are making this possible for me and for so many other students; you are truly changing our lives and you are making our dreams come true. I am very grateful to SLI and to Dr. Kaufman, who believed in me from the beginning, as well as to all the donors who are believing in others. Thank you.”
Celebración speech by SLI alumnus Everth
“As a SLI scholar, you are given a mentor who is meant to guide you and be someone you can rely on in the terrifying transition from high school to college. As someone who was a bit disorganized, and whose disorganization sometimes proved to cause me issues, I remember the day we had a workshop on things we should get done before applying for college. I remember that I had no clue where to begin, but then my mentor proposed an idea that I still implement even to this day. My mentor told me that whenever I have to get something done, to make a checklist, and cross things off as I get them done. This served 2 purposes, the first being to physically see what I had to get done, and the second being that every time I crossed something off, I would feel a sense of accomplishment. That was in 10th grade, and I am currently a senior at my university who still uses that method. So if I could wrap in my experience as a SLI scholar in one word – it would be guidance
If asked how SLI has helped me with my college goals, the bigger question is what hasn’t SLI done for me? SLI provided me with the guidance and orientation I needed to tackle the transition from high school to college. SLI helped me believe in myself letting me come across people who truly cared about me and my goals. My sister is a SLI alumni, who recently graduated with her MBA last December. Seeing the impact that SLI had in her life further motivated me to use all the resources that SLI had to offer because I wanted to be just like her. The financial contribution that SLI offered me was like a beacon of light for a kid who had sleepless nights over how he would alleviate any of the financial burdens that came with college. And it is a blessing that continues to this day.
As of right now, I am currently in my last year of nursing school at Shenandoah University. I have been lucky enough to pursue my passion and am close to achieving this lifelong goal. But my dreams and goals don’t stop there. My short-term goal is to finish nursing school and work in Winchester’s ICU. If I can, I would also like to try out travel nursing for a while and see where the road takes me there. Ultimately, my biggest dream is to become a CRNA (nurse anesthetist). After finding my passion for the world of nursing, anesthesia has been the beacon that I have been getting drawn closer and closer to every day. God willing, I’ll be able to achieve this goal and that way not only fulfill my dreams but the dreams that my parents had when they left their home country more than 23 years ago, which was to see their kids be successful.
If at one point in your life, you ever questioned whether or not your contribution has made a difference, I want you to know that I am living proof that the generosity of all of you has allowed a man with dreams to realize that his dreams could become a reality – that his dreams didn’t just have to be dreams. It’s now a reality that I am blessed enough to be able to live in. You are an inspiration because you all have shown me that we can change the course of someone’s life for the better. I wish to someday be able to repay the kindness and pay it forward to someone else. There is never a day that goes by where I am not thankful for the position that I am in. No matter how hard my classes are, no matter how stressed out exam week makes me, and no matter how many sleepless nights I have spent studying, I am forever grateful to have been given the opportunity in the first place, because I know that all my hard work will pay off. And that opportunity was all thanks to you.”
