Nearly 1,400 Youth To Participate in Latinos In Action Conference at WSU
OGDEN, Utah — The American dream is alive and well. Richard Montañez, executive vice president of Multicultural Sales and Community Activation for PepsiCo North America, will address this topic with nearly 1,400 high school and junior high students participating in the Latinos In Action (LIA) conference at Weber State University March 12.
Montañez, known as the godfather of Hispanic branding, immigrated to the United States from Mexico in the 1970s. He was a custodian for a Frito Lay plant in California, where he came up with the idea for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, an idea he pitched to the CEO. Montañez has since become one of the most influential Latinos in the country. He is a best-selling author and a motivational speaker.“Hearing Mr. Montañez’s story, coming from a custodian to an executive, sends the message to our students that anything is possible for them in this country,” said Frank Magaña, LIA director of operations. “As long as you are willing to work hard and be creative, there are opportunities out there for everyone.”
This year’s conference theme “Professional Me” will focus on the skills needed to be successful in the job market — resume writing, dress and interview preparation.
“We always emphasize getting good grades and participating in extracurricular activities and service,” Magaña said. “We also want to emphasize the importance of communication and a great demeanor during an interview. It is not just about the hard skills; it is about the soft skills as well.”
The conference will bring students from 25 high schools and 22 middle schools together for a day of workshops, cultural activities and leadership training. Students from Box Elder, Cache Valley, Canyons, Davis, Granite, Jerome, Jordan, Logan, Murray, North Summit, Ogden, Park City, Salt Lake City, South Summit, Tooele and Weber school districts will be in attendance.
LIA has chapters in 100 schools, primarily in Utah, but also Washington, Texas and Idaho. More than 15,000 students have participated in LIA since its inception in 2001.
This conference is sponsored by Weber State’s Education Access & Outreach office. Conference organizer Betty Sawyer said students who attend get a glimpse of the advantages of higher education.“Education is key in helping students and families fulfill their dreams,” Sawyer said. “It's important that our Latino students have the opportunity to experience a college campus first hand, hear information and learn about resources that are available. Many WSU programs and departments will be on hand to showcase their programs and answer student questions.”
LIA is a year-round leadership course where students initiate and carry out youth activities and service projects. Participants receive leadership training and other skills that will prepare them to be college and career ready.
Advocates of LIA say students who participate in the program learn that education is the key to lifelong success and that they should continue their education through college. Students who participate in LIA are expected to maintain a passing grade point average while getting involved in extracurricular activities.
“We want students to be able to pursue their dreams,” Magaña said. “We give them the skills to be able to do that.”
Detailed Schedule:
7:30-9 a.m. Check-in (Shepherd Union Building)
9-9:55 a.m. Welcome, performances, writing competition presentations (Val A. Browning Center)
10:10-10:50 a.m. Workshop Session 1 (Shepherd Union Building)
11-11:40 a.m. Workshop Session 2 (Shepherd Union Building)
11:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Workshop Session 3 (Shepherd Union Building)12:35-1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15-3 p.m. Keynote, performances, scholarship awards (Browning Center)
For more information on Latinos In Action, visit latinosinaction.org.
For high-resolution photos, visit the following links:
wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2015-photos/February-2015/i-5twwxBt/0/X2/SPD_0903-X2.jpg
wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2015-photos/February-2015/i-BRcnNPK/0/X3/SPD_0883-X3.jpg
wsuucomm.smugmug.com/Press-Release-Photos/2015-photos/February-2015/i-Bgb8rWQ/0/X3/SPD_0592-X3.jpg
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
- Marcus Jensen, Office of Marketing & Communications
801-626-7295 • marcusjensen@weber.edu - Contact:
- Betty Sawyer, Education Access & Outreach
801-626-7027 • bettysawyer@weber.edu
Frank Magaña, LIA director of operations
frankmagana.lia@gmail.com