MDC Homestead Campus Hosted Future of Hispanic Children Educational Symposium
(L-R) Modesto Abety-Gutierrez, president and CEO of the Children's Trust, David Lawrence Jr., founder and president of the Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, Homestead Campus President Dr. Jeanne F. Jacobs, and Assistant U.S. Secretary of Postsecondary Education Dr. Eduardo Ochoa
Miami, November 7, 2011 - Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Homestead Campus recently hosted the Future of Hispanic Childreneducational symposium featuring national and local leaders. The symposium was a call to action to support Hispanic children and youth in reaching their full potential, and finding strategies to help increase educational success.
Guest speakers included Assistant U.S. Secretary of Postsecondary Education Dr. Eduardo Ochoa, whose discussion highlighted the importance of pursuing and completing post-secondary education. Dr. Ochoa also spoke to the critical national decline in post-secondary degree attainment especially among Hispanics, and to the initiatives and programs that the U.S. Department of Education has to facilitate student success and college completion especially for Hispanic youth.
Other distinguished speakers were David Lawrence Jr., founder and president of the Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, who discussed strategies to improve the pre-natal, post-natal, and early childhood developmental needs of Hispanic children. Next, Modesto Abety-Gutierrez, president and CEO of the Children's Trust, discussed the state and local programmatic strategies and interventions to address the critical educational needs of Hispanic children and youth.
“We were honored to have Dr. Eduardo Ochoa, David Lawrence and Modesto Abety-Gutierrez as presenters for this very important and timely educational symposium,” said Homestead Campus President Dr. Jeanne F. Jacobs. “Our distinguished speakers were national leaders of education and programs that support the future success of students, from early childhood to college completion. Their valuable insights and presentations provided us with a greater understanding of the need to transform education, which is vital to the strength of our nation.”
Prior to the symposium, Assistant Secretary Ochoa met with students and parents to learn of their experiences and to answer questions. More than 200 elected officials, community leaders, students, and College personnel attended the standing room-only symposium.
Media-only contacts:
Juan Mendieta, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu, MDC communications director
Tere Estorino, 305-237-3949, testorin@mdc.edu, MDC media relations director
Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu, media specialist
Tarnell Carroll, 305-237-3359, tcarroll@mdc.edu, media specialist
Alejandro Rios, 305-237-7482, arios1@mdc.edu