Students Explore Their Futures In The Tomcat College & Career Center

Aurora IL

04 May, 2022

4:20 PM

Description

Press release from East Aurora School District 131: AURORA, IL — Committed to providing students with options to pursue their interests, passions, and goals after graduation, the Tomcat College & Career Center regularly hosts visits and speakers meant to inspire current students to take that next step to reach their full potential. On April 19, alum from the Class of 2007 and current members of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) spoke to students interested in the legal profession. The HNBA identifies and studies barriers to Latina lawyers' professional development, working to develop programs that empower women who wish to participate in the legal sphere. Fatima Garcia, Maria Montero, and Chanice Hill all graduated from East High in 2007 and were part of the HNBA visiting panel, sharing their academic and personal experiences as they moved through legal academic study–including the challenges they faced in the process and how those were navigated. Only 4% of lawyers in the United States are Hispanic, according to statistics from the Hispanic National Bar Association in 2017. Less than 2% of U.S. lawyers are women from the Latinx community. A major goal of having these former Tomcats speak to current Tomcats, whether they desire to pursue law or not, is for East Aurora students to see possibilities for their own future and become more knowledgeable to what they can achieve–all with an awareness and pride in the fact that no matter what they pursue, they are representing their community, families, and East Aurora at large. 31 students at East High attended this paneled discussion in the Tomcat College & Career Center, showcasing the proactivity and energy of the bright young women in East Aurora ready to take on the world after high school. Just two days later, another group of current Tomcats got a jumpstart on their futures. Accompanied by counseling staff from the high school, several senior students who are already admitted to Waubonsee Community College (WCC) for Fall 2022 visited the campus to complete pre-registration, placement testing, and tour the facilities. The proximity to WCC's main campuses means East High students get a headstart on preparing for class in the Fall. The partnership between District 131 and the community college allows students to gain access to general education classes as well as job-specific certificate programs upon graduation. Even with so few weeks left in the school year, our Tomcats are still committed to planning for their future, growing, and finding avenues to reach their full potential. This press release was produced by East Aurora School District 131. The views expressed here are the author's own.