activities and improved school attendance, both
of which are key indicators for academic achievement, high school graduation, and first-generation college attendance.
Through a rather in-depth process, SCC – via Hacia staff – partners with the young families and walks them through an interview process aimed at identifying goals and the dreams parents have for their children. The nine-person Hacia team, comprised of first-generation college graduates (all of whom participated in the Hacia program), works with the parents and children to communicate their goals to the teachers. This two-way process helps create an educational and social compact between the family and the schoolteacher. The Hacia team continues their work with the family helping the parents ensure that their children stay on track and communicating with teachers to ensure they too are committed to the child’s success. To further ensure their children’s success all employees receive paid ‘School Involvement Leave,’ which means they don’t have to choose between receiving a paycheck and engaging in their children’s education.
After ten years in operation, Hacia has an impressive track record of success. The program now helps over 600 students in Albuquerque’s South Valley. Participants in the
program have achieved a 99 percent high
school graduation and 97 percent college attendance rates. Many of Hacia’s current staff members were once participants in the program, as they’ve experienced firsthand what is possible with the support of Hacia.
“As a first-generation college student, Hacia was critical in helping both me and my family figure out how I could be successful in school,” said Karen Perez, the Hacia project manager and Hacia alumni. “After graduating from college, I wanted to give back to this program that means much to me and was an instrumental part of my success.”
The Hacia program helps SCC realize its goal to build economic and educational opportunity across generations. SCC’s other programs focus on ensuring the women at the heart of SCC have up-to-date skills, vital for family stability. Toward such, SCC has created leadership and employability programs that provide both on- and off-site opportunities for employees to improve their English, prepare to receive their general equivalency degree (GED), build financial literacy skills, and participate in leadership development. Equally, every SCC employee has a role beyond their daily production work serving on committees that guide the growth of SCC such as celebration
Right:
"Mission Anthem"
Courtesy of:
Southwest Creations
Collaborative
https://youtu.be/kP7C0hvmgIQ
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