Ball State University freshman Savannah Rodriguez had advice Tuesday for the 175 Allen County high schoolers gathered for a Latinos Count event: Don’t doubt yourself.
“I feel like as Latinos, especially young people, we’re always doubted in a way,” Rodriguez said in a pre-recorded message. “We’re always doubted to not be that smart or not be super focused. We need to break away from stereotypes and really be the best that we can be.”
Rodriguez is among the Latinos Count scholarship recipients recognized during the Fort Wayne-based nonprofit’s annual Viva College! Scholarship Lunch at the Grand Wayne Convention Center.
Katie Jenner, the state’s education secretary, was the keynote speaker.
The event wasn’t just about honoring the 18 students who received $2,000 scholarships. It also encouraged students to think about college or another pathway after high school, said Steve Corona, the organization’s executive director.
His organization encourages students to consider five options – college, work, military service, skilled trades and entrepreneurship.
Attendees included students from Fort Wayne Community Schools, he said, along with East Allen County Schools, Southwest Allen County Schools, Bishop Dwenger High School and Bishop Luers High School.
“What we want them to feel and hear are the stories of students who look like them that are going to college,” Corona said. “Many of them have terrific stories about overcoming obstacles in their life, and some of them just say, ‘I was bound and determined to get good grades and find that path to college.’ “
About 47% of Latino students in Allen County immediately enrolled in college following high school graduation in 2024, the most recent year for which information is available from the Indiana Commission of Higher Education.
The statewide rate for that demographic was 43%.
Sara Lucero-Palma is attending Indiana University Indianapolis with the help of the Latinos Count scholarship, which she described as a blessing and a way to give back to her mom.
“It’s important to give back to our parents with at least furthering our education because I think a lot of them come to the U.S. to further give us opportunity,” Lucero-Palma said.
Jenner encouraged students to think about the people they spend the most time with and the effects those people have on their lives.
“Surround yourself with people who multiply your impact, not divide your energy,” she said.
The education secretary also shared advice from her father about leaving places better than you found it.
“Most of life’s purpose is found in the small choices we do each day, choosing kindness over judgement, listening before reacting and offering a smile to someone who needs it,” Jenner said. “The little things add up, and it’s the little things that make communities stronger.”
