Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Whether they say "opportunity" or "oportunidad", five dozen Warsaw Community High School Latino freshmen and sophomores learned Tuesday there's plenty of it for them.
The first-ever Opportunity Fair Program was held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Warsaw. According to Darlene Fussle, English as a Second Language instructor and Sus Amigos mentoring program coordinator, the program was created to let the students know about ways they can be involved in the community, the advantages of volunteering, and to help students become more aware of their own capabilities.
The 3-1/2-hour fair included guest speakers, break-out sessions with the speakers, and a lunch provided by the Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club.
Suzie Light, Kosciusko County Community Foundation, encouraged the students to "graduate. Set a goal."
Pablo Coria, Latino Community Representative, Zimmer Inc., told the students, "You have a lot of opportunities. Some of them you realize, some of them you don't. ... You have a gold mine here." There are many people in this community who want to help the students.
PUENTE/Healthcare Foundation Coordinator Lindsay Lewis let the students know that it's O.K. if they don't know what they want to do right now. She told them to find out what they love to do and do it.
Lake City Bank Prospero Program Director Ralph Villalon said his job at the bank is to attract more Latino customers to the bank through education. His own parents migrated to the U.S. from Mexico and had no knowledge of bank services. He still sees that today with Hispanics.
When the Prospero program was started, Villalon said he was the only bilingual person at the bank. Today, there are 23, but he still considers that a low number. Bilingual people are needed in every field today.
"I'm in a position now where I enjoy what I'm doing and I get paid for it," he said. The students can find the same opportunities for themselves.
During the first of two break-out sessions, Light told her group that they should be happy with what they are doing. She informed them about volunteer and scholarship opportunities at the Foundation. Chances of the students acquiring scholarships increases with youth services volunteering. When Light asked the students a reason why students don't go to college, the first answer was money. Light said many people think that, but colleges offer many opportunities for students to afford college through programs like work study. Also, if a student takes five hours to fill out a scholarship application, and then receives a $500 scholarship, they've earned $100 an hour - more than most jobs pay.
"Our county is one of the most generous in the state with scholarships," said Light. Students don't have to be the brightest, fastest track star or best musician to qualify for scholarships. "Each scholarship is different."
Student loans also can help students pay for tuition.
Light said Coria was right when he said students were sitting on a gold mine. "Employers are hungry for bilingual employees," she said. "You are very hot commodities."
Other break-out session speakers, like Sus Amigos Office Manager Connie Stutzman and Coria spoke to their Latino students in Spanish. Northern Indiana Workforce Investment Board Chief Executive Officer Juan Manigault told his group about future career opportunities.
During the second panel discussion, Manigault also told the students they will have seven to eight careers as adults. "You all will have lots of jobs," he said. Getting those jobs is all about what they know, who they are and what they like to do. He told them not to be defeated before they start, to reach out and help others feel at ease.
"There's always a higher power - make sure you have a relationship with God in your life," Manigault said. A relationship with God will get them through their doubts and hard times.
Stutzman told the students to give back to the community and don't forget their language. Laura Cooper, Combined Community Services, also stressed the importance of giving back to the community.
Eddie Reyes and Asusena Angel spoke about the Boy Scouts of America and how great it is to be a part of BSA.
"Scouting is a way of life," said Reyes. "... Scouting is for everybody and I hope you give it a shot."
American Red Cross Director Larry Peppel was the first in his family to have the opportunity to go to college by taking advantage of a scholarship. He told the students to learn to do something, learn a skill. The students present have opportunities in this community they should take advantage of, he said.
WCHS Junior and Sus Amigos student Cyntia Lozano spoke to the other students during lunch break.
"I'm just starting to understand I have the power to be who I want to be," Lozano said. Her life changed her sophomore year when Fussle asked her to be a part of Sus Amigos. Sus Amigos focuses on job skills for the students and getting on-the-job training. Through Sus Amigos, Lozano learned she is good at numbers, organizing and good with people. Lozano now is a bank teller at Lake City Bank.
"Sus Amigos allows me to grow and change, but it's not a free program," she said, as she is responsible to help others, become successful and be a role model.
"I know I'll always have the confidence to move ahead because of Sus Amigos," she said.
During the lunch break, three of the Latino students said the program is a good thing and that it should continue.
"I think it's an opportunity," said Eric Vallil. "To know that there's jobs that you never knew you could have and there is."
Belen Cervantes said, "I think this is really going to help us in the future for jobs and stuff because we can look into our school and see how it will help us better."
She said the best part about it was hearing the speakers because they are inspiring and are role models. The best advice they gave, she said, was "finish school, go to college."
Jose Villa Junior said the program should continue because it will be good for other students to learn about opportunities and college for the future.
