LATINO EDUCATION ADVANCEMENT FOUNDATION

LEAF CENTER FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS (LCCS):THE LEAF CENTER FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS (LCCS) OFFERS A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO INCREASING COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION FOR FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS OF COLOR. LCCS PROVIDES ESSENTIAL RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR LATINX STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN EAST SAN JOSE ENROLLING IN A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY, OR TRADE AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. IN BRIEF, LCCS MENTORS, GUIDE, AND EMPOWER FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO (1) BUILD A COLLEGE-GOING CULTURE, (2) CONFIDENTLY NAVIGATE THE COLLEGE ENROLLMENT PROCESS, (3) PERSIST THROUGH COLLEGE, AND (4) GRADUATE WITH A CLEAR CAREER PATHWAY. LEAF'S LCCS PROGRAMMING HAS SERVED OVER 900 STUDENTS AND FAMILIES SINCE 2021, INCLUDING OVER 800 LEAF SCHOLARS, NEARLY 100 MENTORS, AND OVER 500 FAMILIES (96% OF LEAF'S SCHOLARS ARE FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS). TO DATE, LEAF HAS DISTRIBUTED OVER $1,600,000 TO HELP STUDENTS MEET THOSE NEEDS. SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE GONE DIRECTLY TO STUDENTS, MENTORS, AND FAMILIES, AND HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY IMPACTFUL IN KEEPING THEM ENGAGED AND ENROLLED IN COLLEGE. THIS HAS ENABLED THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES:-81% OF STUDENTS IN LEAF'S PERSIST IN COLLEGE (ENROLL FORM YEAR TO YEAR).-OF THESE, 50% ARE ENROLLED IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES OR TRADE SCHOOL/CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS, 50% ARE IN 4-YEAR COLLEGE PROGRAMS. LEAF ADVOCACY:LEAF ADVOCACY AIMS TO SUPPORT THE SPREAD OF UNDERREPRESENTED LATINX VOICES TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM'S DISPARATE IMPACT THAT OUR COMMUNITY IN EAST SAN JOS FACES. THIS WORK IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING A COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS CULTURE IN SAN JOS VIA FOUR CORE COMPONENTS: (1) ENGAGEMENT OF EASTSIDE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS TO PROMOTE PARENT AND STUDENT VOICES; (2) IMPROVEMENT OF CORE SUBJECT PROFICIENCY OF EASTSIDE STUDENTS LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN LATINX GRADUATES WHO PASS A-G COURSEWORK; (3) PROVIDE A COLLEGE AND CAREER-ALIGNED READINESS PROGRAM TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT AND PERSISTENCE IN TWO-YEAR COLLEGES AND FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITIES; AND (4) ADVOCATE FOR EQUITABLE FUNDS FOR EAST SAN JOSE SCHOOLS TO BE ON PAR OR ABOVE THE HIGHEST PER-PUPIL ALLOCATION IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY.