Ensuring Higher Education Access for Latinas

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

We have learned alongside our Community Partners as they have faced challenges, overcome barriers, and achieved extraordinary successes. Find out more about each project and the outcomes below.

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YEAR

2021

GRANT CATEGORY

Equity

GRANT AMOUNT

$90,500

Organization:

Con Mi MADRE

Project Title:

Ensuring Higher Education Access for Latinas

Project Description:

Founded in 1992, Con Mi MADRE (CMM)’s mission is to empower young Latinas and their mothers through education and support services that increase preparedness, participation, and success in post-secondary education. While most of their students are Latina, CMM’s services are open to all races.

Starting in 6th grade and continuing through post-secondary education, over 3,400 mother-daughter teams have made that journey so far. Research backs parental involvement as instrumental to academic success.

Culturally relevant, evidence-based programming includes three programs:

Preparedness Program (grades 6-10): 12 bi-weekly school-based meetings, focusing on increasing college preparation and career knowledge and improving academic performance while simultaneously developing healthy relationships, effective communication, and positive coping skills.
Participation Program (grades 11-12): Eight school-based meetings focusing on successful high school completion and the college application process, including direct assistance on college selection and applications.
Success Program (college students): One-on-one guidance counseling and four college-related workshops per year.

All mother-daughter teams receive three weekend education conferences, a bilingual college and career fair, two college visits, and a two-day Leadership Summit at a local university.

Individual coaching provided by coordinators with a social work background is offered to students on an as-needed basis. Parents also have a support group, including workshops.

Con Mi MADRE proposed to provide programming to 600 mothers and daughters in AISD schools.

Grant Status:

With the Impact Austin grant, Con Mi MADRE came very close to their goal. They delivered programming to 17 AISD middle and high schools during the 2021-22 school year. A total of 293 students participated and 285 mothers shared their daughters’ journeys. Given the challenges of the pandemic, programming focused strongly on students’ mental health.

Con Mi MADRE’s metrics demonstrated areas where students struggled as they emerged from the pandemic. Performance was lower compared to previous years.