Congressman Ruben Gallego Congratulates "Bright Spots in Hispanic Education" in Arizona's 7th District

Statement

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics recently recognized four organizations in Arizona's 7th District as "Bright Spots in Hispanic Education."

Congressman Gallego delivered a floor speech yesterday congratulating the Bright Spots in his district. His remarks, as prepared:

"Mr. Speaker, as we close Hispanic Heritage month and look back at our community's history and ongoing challenges, I rise today to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.

"For 25 years, the Initiative has played an important role in advancing the dialogue and policies that have helped move our community forward.

"This year, as part of its anniversary celebration, the Initiative released the "Bright Spots in Hispanic Education" online national catalog. The catalog features 230 programs, organizations, and initiatives that are supporting and investing in the educational attainment of Hispanic, from cradle-to-career.

"Today, I congratulate four Bright Spots in my district that have been recognized for their outstanding commitment and contributions to our community: the American Dream Academy, the Bilingual Nursing Fellows Program, the Fowler Head Start Program, and the Victoria Foundation.

"These programs are leading the way to close the education gap. I look forward to continuing to work with them as we find ways to ensure every child, including Latino children, have the tools they need to succeed."

The American Dream Academy provides training to parents of school-aged children to enable the parents to become effective advocates for their children's education. The program aims to increase graduation rates for students in underserved areas of Maricopa County by giving parents the tools they need to support their children's academic careers.

South Mountain Community College's Bilingual Nursing Fellows Program (BNFP)is a three-year nursing cohort program that aims to increase the number of bilingual Registered Nurses in order to address the critical shortage of Spanish-speaking nurses in Arizona. The program offers tutoring and other academic support to students, and assists them with finding employment opportunities upon graduation.

The Fowler Head Start Program offers individualized educational opportunities to preschoolers in Phoenix. The program teaches children how to build community and enhance their social skills and helps them to prepare for their academic futures.

The Victoria Foundation was the first Latino Community Foundation in the United States. The organization uses micro grants, nonprofit incubators, and donor-advised funds to make a positive difference in education programs in Phoenix. The organization has also created a scholarship fund that has awarded 863 scholarships.

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