11th anniversary book 114 FINAL online - Flipbook - Page 7
Over the years, throughout all of the programs and initiatives, education has been the pillar from which we advocate,
support and invest in the future of the Hispanic community. Currently, Círculo is a multiservice organization with
offices in Long Beach and Hempstead offering many programs in the areas of human services, including education.
Our educational and cultural programs, including Crculo’s advocacy throughout the years, I believe, have helped to
increase the high school graduation and college admission rate over 80% for Hispanic students in the Long Beach
School District.
From its inception, Círculo created an Annual Awards Night to promote education and to provide scholarships to
Hispanic youth. We have continued to celebrate and honor Hispanic students who have excelled in academics by
recognizing their success at this event every year in June. We have also awarded nearly $400,000 to Hispanic students
in the form of scholarships for higher education. I know these efforts have made a difference to Hispanic students in
Long Beach, especially immigrants. In the past, the Long Beach School District also made some positive changes to
support those students, in spite of their initial resistance. However, we still have far to go.
Círculo’s Long Beach office was established in 1980. Shortly afterwards, we began offering support and services
in Hempstead. Our Hempstead office provides HIV/AIDS Services, (testing, linkage and navigation, education and
prevention), Adult Education (English as a second language, GED, Citizenship), and Domestic Violence Services
(advocacy, crisis intervention, support groups).
Since then, for all these years, I have been part of the Hempstead Community. I have witnessed, first hand, generation
after generation of students failing to graduate from high school. This number has grown by more than 50%. Thousands
of lives have been affected by this human tragedy. When the New York State Government approved, over twenty
years ago, the Charter School Legislation, I wanted to open a charter school at that time and establish it in Hempstead.
Throughout the years, I could not do it even though a representative from the State Education Department met with me
for that purpose.
The vision of a charter school stayed in my mind as a vehicle to support the future lives of as many students as
possible in the Hempstead School District.
The opportunity to start a charter school presented itself again when the New York State Government approved another
100 charter schools in 2007. I was very happy and I began to work with passion to realize this dream. Dr. Sarah
Brewster, the Chief Director of Services and Operations, and I immediately began to move forward working very hard
to accomplish this goal. The Board of Directors at Círculo de la Hispanidad has continuously supported us in this very
important project for the children of Hempstead.
We overcame many, many obstacles, including discrimination. Furthermore, we had powerful opposition from the
teachers unions from Hempstead and the State against our proposal. We were not approved during the official meeting
in December 2008 at the Board of Regents even though we had been approved and recommended by the Department of
Education. I encourage you to read our history in the following pages.
4