By Naomi Ono LeBeau
The entire class of 2018 at El Colegio High School in Minneapolis is graduating this year. Not only that, all 24 students are planning to go to college.
At the annual El Colegio fundraising breakfast on June 1, Dr. Bianet Castellanos of the University of Minnesota said Minnesota is the worst place for Hispanic students, ranking 50th in the U.S.
What accounts for this success?
Ms. Norma Graces, Executive Director of El Colegio and a Synapse Brain Trust member said, “We don’t educate for 9th grade. We educate for the next 4 years.” The school’s high expectations for their students yields great results at the end of each year. The alternative school serves to 100 Latinex and non-Latinex students in grades 9 through 12.
The school climate is also a key for its success. Ms. Graces said, “Schools should be the safest place for children. No fights here. We have never seen fights at El Colegio.”
“When some students come here, they look terrified because of their English skills. They act like they are invisible. They have been acting like that for a long time. They don’t make eye contact,” Ms. Graces said. “Many students are labeled as ‘students at risk,’ but we don’t criminalize them. We want them to connect with us.”
Families are important at El Colegio, reflecting the values of Latino culture. “We never separate. We families get together here,” Ms. Graces said. “Building relationships is essential. People feel like they belong to this school, and then they build confidence.” She added that if the students drop out at El Colegio, the reason is not the academic achievement issue but the government issue that forces them to leave this country.
El Colegio has a PSEO (postsecondary educational options) program for college credits. Mr. Chad Davidson, a bilingual PSEO math teacher, explains his challenge to meet diverse needs. “I have a multilevel math class,” he said. “I have to be flexible. I learned that my intuitions don’t work here. If I do get an intuition, I should do the opposite. That works here!” Mr. Davidson said with smile.
As the only school dedicated to Latinex students in Minnesota, El Colegio has been successfully growing. To make a donation, contact the school.
On Tuesday, June 5th, El Colegio students will present and report on “Latina Immigrant Youth Fighting for an Education,” a Youth Participatory Action Research Project directed by Dr. Castellanos at the University of Minnesota. It will be held at 4:30-6:00 pm. Dinner will be provided. The location is 4137 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407.