The Boys & Girls Club of Worcester and Clark University hosted The Los Amigos Conference on Higher Education on May 30-June 1. The conference was designed to motivate and prepare teens from disadvantaged neighborhoods to be the first in their families to attend college.
By participating in the event, young people were presented with positive adult role models, a network of like-minded peers and a college setting where teens can create a path to reach their academic goals. Over 150 teens from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Connecticut participated. All were able to experience college life first hand as they slept in Clark’s dorms and attended sessions in the university’s classrooms. Breakout sessions offered information on different educational options, the admissions process, financial aid, study skills and college life. Participants also were introduced to a wide range of college options at the college fair featuring the full diversity of Worcester’s colleges.
Ron Hadorn, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, believes there is a clear need for the conference in our neighborhood, as seen in the following disturbing trends. Current Worcester Census data notes that 39% of 18-25 year olds do not have a high school diploma. This is reflective of many of the youth in the Club’s service area. These young people do not think that college is accessible to them and frequently drop out of school. Fifty-two percent of children live in poverty and fifty-nine percent live in single parent households, adding to the obstacles to higher education.
The conference was a great success due to the many guest speakers that provided informative and often inspiring stories including Gladys Rodriguez-Parker, Community Relations Director for Congressman James P. McGovern, Jesse Edwards, Youth Director for the City of Worcester, Santiago Marquez, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, James Welu, Director of the Worcester Art Museum and former conference attendee and recent college graduate, Noella Bare.
Another conference highlight was the panel of current college students and recent graduates including: Hadley Camillus, Senior Admission Director at Quinsigamond Community College; Asia Black, Clark University (2008); Hermann Opoku, George Washington (2010); Joi Irby, Georgetown University (2003) and University of Albany (2007).