Chicago Students Participate in Leadership Development & College Readiness Program

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Hosts College Readiness Event at Northeastern Illinois University

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Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

Apr 16, 2015, 10:04 ET

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Saturday, April 18, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) and its Ready to Lead (R2L)^® college readiness program will host a day of workshops and trainings at Northeastern Illinois University.

Sponsored by Nissan and Kraft, more than 200 Chicago students will be trained in college planning, financing a college education and leadership development. The goal of R2L^® is to help Latino high school students enter post-secondary education by motivating them to complete high school, empowering them to serve and lead in their communities and instilling a belief that a college education is achievable.

What: CHCI Ready to Lead Chicago

Who: Dr. Suleyma Perez, Executive Director of Government Relations, Northeastern Illinois University
Jorge A. Quezada, Kraft
Ernesto Mejia, CoolSpeak
Sara Espinosa, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
200 Chicago High School Students

**Speakers and Students will be Available for Interviews**

When: Saturday, April 18, 2015
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
(See full schedule below)

Where: Northeastern Illinois University
Alumni Hall
5500 North St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60625

With the support of Nissan, Kraft, State Farm, Time Warner Cable and Bank of America, R2L^® empowers Latino high school students to attend college and reaches hundreds of students nationally each year. The program involves one-day workshops across the country in the most heavily populated Latino urban areas such as Chicago, California's Central Valley, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and culminates with a Washington, D.C. workshop during CHCI's Public Policy Conference each fall.

Ready to Lead (R2L) Chicago Agenda

8:30 am – 9:30 am	BREAKFAST/REGISTRATION		Alumni Hall

9:30 am – 9:50 am	WELCOME AND OPENING		Alumni Hall
	Welcome: Marie Hughes Chough, CHCI
	Guest Speaker: Dr. Suleyma Perez, Executive Director of Government Relations, Northeastern Illinois University
	Guest Speaker: Robert Martinez, Nissan

9:55 am – 11:00 am	CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS		Breakout Rooms
	COLLEGE PLANNING:	Group A	SU 214
	COLLEGE PLANNING:	Group B	SU 003
	FINANCIAL LITERACY:	Group C/D	Alumni Hall
	LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT:	Group E/F	Golden Eagles

11:10 am – 12:20 pm	MENTORING POWER HOUR		Alumni Hall
	Introduction: Marie Hughes Chough, CHCI
	Guest Speaker: Jorge A. Quezada, Kraft

12:20 pm – 12:50 pm	LUNCHEON		Alumni Hall

12:55 pm – 1:45 pm	CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS		Breakout Rooms

1:50 pm – 2:55 pm	CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS		Breakout Rooms

3:00 pm – 3:45 pm	GUEST SPEAKER		Alumni Hall
	Empower Speaker: Ernesto Mejia, CoolSpeak

3:45 pm – 4:00 pm	PICTURES & CLOSING		Alumni Hall

About CHCI
CHCI is the premier Hispanic nonprofit and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) leadership development organization in the country that educates, empowers, and connects Latino youth by providing leadership development programs and educational services. CHCI directly impacts the lives of more than 1,700 students and young professionals each year through its fellowships, congressional internships, scholarships, Ready to Lead (R2L^®) college readiness program, and R2L NextGen program. CHCI NextOpp is its latest resource allowing young Latinos to save, search and share life-changing opportunities for Latinos across the United States.

The CHCI Board of Directors is comprised of Hispanic members of Congress, nonprofit, union and corporate leaders. Visit www.chci.org, or join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

SOURCE Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute