Workshops help high schoolers pursue continuing education

By Nicole Harris

High school students filled the campus on Saturday, Nov. 4, as the MEChA club celebrated the 23rd annual Raza Day, a day in which young Latino students have the opportunity to experience college life and learn about the steps it takes to achieve their academic goals.

Raza Day, sponsored by MEChA, brought 200 students from Bay Area high schools, most with low funding and a Latino-based population, to the Santa Clara campus for a motivational day encouraging the pursuit of higher education.

Throughout the day, the students had a chance to get a glimpse of college life and the benefits that attending college entails.

Junior Sara Garcia, Raza Day coordinator, said the club's message to the students was that they "do have the potential to go to college, and that they can succeed. â?¦ We give them tools to guide them."

These tools entailed 14 workshops, of which students could choose three to attend over the course of the day. These workshops covered a variety of concerns, ranging from topics such as "Admissions and Financial Aid" to "College 101" to "Staying Healthy in College."

Magali Monjaras, a freshman from Watsonville High School, attended the "College 101" workshop, where she learned "how financial aid works and how life is at a university."

The students were also given a chance to take a tour of the campus. "It was my favorite part -- very fun to look around," said Monjaras.

Alex Amezcua, a junior at Alisal High School, said that after touring the campus he "would want to go to college."

Yet perhaps the highlight of many of the students' day was the opportunity to listen to the keynote speaker, Essau Harrera, a 1972 Santa Clara Law graduate.

Harrera, who is now a criminal defense attorney, spoke of his time at Santa Clara, in which he was one of six Latinos in his class.

Harrera later went on to found the organization El Frente, which has now evolved into the MEChA club that exists at Santa Clara today.

He also continues to be involved in the area, working with the East Side San Jose School District.

"(He was a) great influence," Amezcua said. "He came from a low neighborhood up to a big school. You have to respect that."

Many other students agreed.

"He was very inspiring," said Gina Caroillo, a junior from Pajaro Valley High School.

Monjaras added, "He was pretty cool. I really liked his stories and he was really funny."

After attending workshops, taking a tour of the Santa Clara campus and listening to Harrera speak, the students were invited to eat lunch at the Bronco, where they were able to socialize with each other and watch special dance performances from Santa Clara students.

"It's very awesome. Students here are friendly and helpful," said Caroillo. "Days like this make you think about what other colleges might have to offer too."

While the students were able to enjoy a motivating day in a college atmosphere, the program not only benefited the high school students, but Santa Clara students as well.

The program was almost entirely run by MEChA, from the tours to the performances. Garcia said days such as these are good for Santa Clara because it "gives classmates a chance to interact with high school kids."

MEChA currently has 50 active members and is growing, Garcia said. By her participation in MEChA, Garcia said she is able to "learn about my culture and the way that it affects Santa Clara and figure out a way to merge the two. (We) share our culture and heritage, but emphasize that we're all here for the same purpose."

Contact Nicole Harris at nharris@scu.edu.