Encuentros Leadership Preparatory Academy

Institution:

Encuentros Leadership

State:

California

Academic Level:

Community-Based Organization

Issue Area:

Access

Program Focus:

Male/Latinos, Parental/Family Engagement

Website:

https://encuentrosleadership.com/

Key Personnel:

Mark Evilsizer

Contact Info:

markevilsizer@aol.com | 760.522.1154

Overview

Encuentros Leadership was formed in 2003 as a 501c3 nonprofit to improve the retention and graduation rates of Latino males in North County San Diego. We have established several programs aimed at developing a culturally affirming environment for students and their families. Using culturally responsive pedagogy, we cultivate a college-attending/college-completion mentality while emphasizing the importance of advocating for social justice and equity in education and society. Our goal is to improve the number of first-generation college students pursuing educational and career opportunities in STEM.

Program Description

The mission of the Leadership Academy is to prepare low-income Latino male high school students (grades 9-11) for successful admission to the college of their choice. The following goals define the work of the Academy: 1) To improve core leadership competencies, 2) Heighten parental engagement (fathers); to this end, in 2014 the Academy developed "Platicas: Hombre a Hombre" to improve father-son communication skills, 3) Facilitate a seamless transition home/high school to college, 4) Maintain a 100% high school graduation rate coupled with a 90% college baccalaureate degree attainment rate, 5) Create and nurture a growing passion for the "culture of learning" beyond the classroom, & 6) Instill an ethical foundation for service leadership. The Leadership Academy promotes a strong community and personal value of giving back. Every Academy student is challenged to generate answers to the three Encuentros questions: Who Am I? Where Am I Going? How Will I Get There?

Outcome

Over the past 9 years, 474 Academy graduates have generated the following metrics/outcomes:

· 100% high school graduation rate (compared to 60% non-Academy Latino male students),
· 99% daily school attendance rate (highest among all high school students),
· An average GPA of 3.87 (compared to 2.4 for non-Academy Latino male students),
· No school referrals/disciplinary issues (Latino males historically lead all suspension and expulsion rates primarily due to behavioral problems), and,
· 97% have successfully transitioned to the college/university of their choice.
· Since 2006, 204 students have earned a baccalaureate degree and 75% have advanced into a master's degree field of study.
· 100% of Academy graduates who elected to leave their home state of California and pursue college elsewhere, persisted to earn their baccalaureate degree.

The cumulative GPA of this away-from-home student group is 3.91. The 10-year work of the Academy has produced highly effective local partnerships with K-12 school districts and 6 post-secondary colleges/universities. The dramatic improvement in Latino male high school graduation and college retention rates is attributed to the Academy's culturally and gender relevant curriculum and interventions.

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