ASPIRA ASSOCIATION INC

PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. WEB-BASED LEARNING FACILITY PROJECT - ASPIRA IMPLEMENTED A NATIONALCOMPUTER LITERACY AND BROADBAND ADOPTION CAMPAIGN IN LATINO COMMUNITIES. THIS INITIATIVE PROVIDES STUDENTS AND PARENTS/CAREGIVERS THE TOOLS, INCLUDING CURRICULUM MATERIALS AND ONLINE WORKSHOPS ANDCOURSES, TO BECOME COMPUTER LITERATE. IT ALSO PROVIDES INFORMATION ONTHE IMPORTANCE OF BROADBAND ADOPTION TO ENHANCE THE EDUCATIONALATTAINMENT OF LATINO YOUTH. ASPIRA PARENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE PROJECT (APEX) - THE MISSIONOF THIS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE THE INVOLVEMENT OF LATINO PARENTS INTHEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION BY HELPING THEM LEARN ABOUT THE INTRICACIES OF NEGOTIATING CHANGE AND IMPROVING EDUCATION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THEAPEX CURRICULUM HAS SERVED AS A MODEL PROJECT IN THE AREA OF COMMUNITYEMPOWERMENT THROUGH PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. HEALTH EDUCATION PROJECT - HISPANIC AMERICANS FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN ATTAINING BETTER HEALTHCARE, SPECIFICALLY IN THE AREAS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH. TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS, ASPIRA IMPLEMENTED HEALTH EDUCATION IN THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CLUBSTO ENCOURAGES LATINO YOUTH TO PURSUE CAREERS IN THESE FIELDS AND TOMAKE A DIFFERENCE BY RESPONDING TO THE HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. ASPIRA HAS EXPANDED ITS HEALTH EDUCATION PROJECT BY DEVELOPING ANHIV/AIDS PREVENTION COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS OF HIVAND AIDS WITHIN THE LATINO COMMUNITY AS PART OF THE ACT AGAINST AIDS LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE AAALI). AAALI IS A PARTNERSHIP OF LEADINGNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS DESIGNED TO INCREASE HIV PREVENTION EFFORTS IN COMMUNITIES HARDEST HIT BY THE DISEASE. SUPPORTED BY THE POTOMAC HEALTH FOUNDATION, ASPIRA AND THE HISPANIC ORGANIZATION FOR LEADERSHIP AND ACTION WORK TOGETHER TO PROMOTE AHEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN THE PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY AREA. THIS PROJECTFOCUSES ON ADDRESSING THE PREVALENCE OF OBESITY AND DIABETES, ANDEDUCATING LATINO YOUTH AND COMMUNITY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY EATING AND EXERCISE. PUBLIC POLICY - ASPIRA HAS PROMOTED CHANGES IN PUBLIC POLICIES TOBENEFIT HISPANIC YOUTH AND COMMUNITIES. AS AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATEDEXCLUSIVELY TO EDUCATION, ITS ADVOCACY AND POLICY INITIATIVES HAVE FOCUSED MAINLY ON EDUCATION AND ISSUES THAT AFFECT HISPANIC YOUTH.