Educational Program for Wyoming Latina Youth Oct. 20-21 at UW

Cecilia Aragón, a University of Wyoming professor, wants to do her part in ensuring that Wyoming Latina youth receive secondary education through a two-decade program that helps the teens achieve individual goals.

The annual Wyoming Latina Youth Conference (WLYC) -- Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, on the UW campus -- is tailor-made for the state’s teenagers. Now in its 23rd year, the WLYC is open to all Wyoming fifth through 12th grade students who are Latinx, Hispanic, Indigenous, Afro-Latinx and mixed-blooded female identifying. Aragón, the WLYC’s director, is a UW professor of theater and dance, and Latina/o studies, and she is a faculty affiliate in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and the College of Education.

Latinos are the fastest-growing population in Wyoming, and education is important to that portion of the Cowboy State’s community, especially female students. National research indicates that Latino young people report that their parents place a great emphasis on the need to go to college.

“Hispanics say a college education is important for getting ahead in life. The cultural aspect is that women change the mindset in the culture, and they are now placing a higher value on education as part of the cultural wealth and cultural aspirations -- to finish high school and get a degree in higher education,” Aragón says. “More and more, we are starting to see that Latinas are prioritizing higher education as a way to overcome future financial obstacles. Latina girls are one of the fastest-growing groups in the country and, specifically, in Wyoming.”

The WLYC strives to successfully move through the critical transitions among middle school, high school, college and graduate school. Each year, the program provides information to high school juniors and seniors on how to fill out a college application, including availability of scholarships and how to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.

This year’s conference has registered 285 young Latinas representing approximately 15 schools covering 10 Wyoming counties.

The annual conference features a welcome dinner banquet; cultural performances; educational workshops focused on arts, humanities, financial literacy and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields; and informational presentations on mental and physical well-being.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Inspiring young women to embrace the art of valuing your best self through excellence, progress, transformation and empowerment.”

The keynote speaker is Lucy Beato, a life and business coach, author, entrepreneur and breast cancer survivor. Beato has managed her own business the past 15 years, is a certified life coach and has provided both individualized support and seminar training. She is Dominican, was raised in New York and now resides in Miami, Fla.

Since the conference was founded in 2000, Aragón says it has produced a “significant number” of UW graduates who have completed master’s degrees and doctoral programs -- several who have completed their doctoral degrees in social work, law and medical programs.

In 2016, the WLYC was instituted and transferred from Cheyenne to UW as an educational pipeline program. The annual conference is housed within the WLYCenter -- a nonprofit organization focused on empowering young Latinas through mentorship, leadership and academic success. Funding for the center on the UW campus is provided through significant grants from Rocky Mountain Power and the Rockefeller Foundation awarded to Aragón.

The Rockefeller Foundation grant provides funding for undergraduate and graduate work-study students and interns; supports travel for UW students for professional development; and for graduate school applications and professional conferences. A faculty associate director, social media/digital marketing specialist, statewide outreach coordinator and an outdoor coordinator also have been supported by the award.

Since 2016, the WLYCenter has helped between 15-25 young Latinas enroll each fall semester as UW freshmen. The center has helped an additional 15-25 Latinx transfer students adjust to UW campus life.

“As part of the educational pipeline program, WLYCenter follows the progress of students entering UW as freshmen through their senior year and graduation. They become our WLYC college leaders/mentors throughout their four years of college,” Aragón says. “Their education rates are enormous. We are proud to say that 98 percent of our students who participate in the center and in the conference graduate from UW.”

For more information, email Aragón at ccaragon@uwyo.edu.