Latino Outreach programming works to empower Latino youth by bringing together parents, youth, school staff and community partners to promote academic success and explore possible paths to higher education. Research shows that Latino youth are at greatest risk for dropping out of school between the 9th and 10th grades. Latino Outreach programming reduces this risk by bringing together cohorts of 7th and 8th grade youth to support each other for 3-5 years as they enter high school and prepare together for higher education. The multifaceted partnerships between Extension’s 4-H and Human Science specialists, school and college administrators and staff, and other community volunteers are what makes our Latino Outreach programming a sustainable success in Muscatine County.

Our Components

The Muscatine County Extension Latino Outreach program is an intensive long-term program made up of four components:

• First, youth and families come together for 6 consecutive weeks for the ¡Salir Adelante! Family Workshop Series and then continue to meet bi-monthly to make college a realistic family goal.
• Second, youth participate in afterschool 4-H Club meetings held twice a month focusing on academic success, citizenship and leadership.
• Third, youth meet biweekly during school hours with a one-on-one Success Coach who helps them remediate academic deficiencies, learn study habits, and work towards their academic and personal goals.
• Fourth, as youth get into high school they take part in field trips to colleges and other events like the 4-H Youth Leadership Summit.

Our Objectives

• to increase youth’s abilities to succeed in high school, to discover the benefits of higher education, and to become aware of how to attain a college education
• to expand family-school-college partnerships and capacity in Iowa to help Latino youth graduate from high school and eventually college
• to help Latino families and community members to come together as a support group to help each other realize their desires to get a higher education

For more information on Muscatine Latino Outreach Programming please contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Muscatine County office at 563-263-5701.