"When Getting Into College Just Isn't Enough!" College Bound Scholars Award

WHEN GETTING INTO COLLEGE JUST ISN’T ENOUGH”

College Bound Scholars Supports First-Generation Students

 Latino U College Access, a Westchester based non-profit dedicated to helping first generation Latino students attend and complete college, announced the names of the two local students chosen as the first College Bound Scholars award winners. These two students -  Angela Leis, an Ossining High School graduate heading to SUNY New Paltz, and Kevin Tejada, a Fox Lane HS graduate who will attend Bates College this fall – have demonstrated outstanding academic success, initiative, involvement in school and community life, and a strong desire to rise above challenging circumstances to become the first in their families to attend college.

The College Bound Scholars program is designed as the next step for Latino U College Access. The program seeks to insure that students such as Angela and Kevin successfully transition to college life by providing them with an experienced adult mentor for the summer prior to departure and throughout freshman year.  In addition College Bound Scholars will receive a $1,000 financial award to help cover necessary dorm and school supplies including a laptop and help with books and travel expenses.

This is the capstone program on a series of services offered by Latino U College Access, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase college enrollment and success among first-generation youth.  Latino U provides assistance with college planning, application, SAT/ACT prep, essay writing and financial aid.  

Amy Peck , a Katonah resident and business owner, and Doreen Gadigan, a Somers special education teacher, created and launched the College Bound Scholars program.    They were inspired to create this award and mentor program after realizing how much time, effort, money, and moral support was required to get their own children successfully through their freshman year of college, and how woefully unprepared many first generation college students are.  Throughout this summer and all next year, Angela and Kevin will speak with their mentors on a regular basis about topics such as what to bring to set up a dorm room, how to handles finances,  how to get along with a roommate, picking college courses, extracurricular involvement and all the other challenging aspects of life away from home.

Shirley Acevedo Buontempo, a Somers resident who has worked in community nonprofits for over 12  years founded Latino U College Access in 2012 to address the inequity and lack of access to college preparatory resources that many Latino students face.

For further information or to schedule an interview, please contact Shirley Acevedo Buontempo at 914-980-6359 or sabdirector@latinouaccess.org, or Amy Peck at 914-263-9970 or amygpeck@gmail.com.  Or visit  www.latinoUcollege.org