On Saturday, October 22, California State University, Dominguez Hills will once again host “La Feria Es El Momento: Edúcalos” (The Moment is Now: Educate Them Fair), an education fair for Spanish-speaking families organized by Univision’s local station KMEX-TV, Channel 34, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Torodome Gymnasium.
This is the third year for the education fair, which last year attracted 27,000 people to campus.
“La Feria Es El Momento: Edúcalos” promotes a college-going and professional career culture among Spanish-speaking parents and encourages them to be drivers of their children’s educational success. The event helps parents learn the basics of the California educational system from pre-kinder to college.
More than 100 exhibitors ranging from school districts, colleges and universities to educational nonprofits, along with Spanish-language academic experts and volunteers will be on hand to inform parents on how to guide their children successfully through California’s educational system. “How to get to college” and financial literacy workshops also will be offered.
Other activities include a photography area where children can visualize their future by dressing up in cap and gown or career uniforms and have their picture taken, and a reading library where community leaders will be reading to children. Approximately 30,000 books will be handed out free during the day, courtesy of the Molina Foundation, Jumpstart, First5 LA, and the office of the Mexican Consulate-General in Los Angeles. Families can also receive dental and vision wellness screenings.
Event sponsors Chivas USA, LA Galaxy, LA Kings, Natural History Museum, Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, McDonalds, Buick Metro PCS, and State Farm will have booths and activities outside, and Univision Network anchors Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas will take part in the day’s scheduled events.
This year’s fair marks the culmination of Univision’s first-ever national education week (October 16-22), “¡Edúcate, Es El Momento!” (Education, The Moment is Now) to better equip Hispanic families with the tools and information they need to successfully navigate the education system and the financial process so they can guide their children to academic success. The Spanish-language campaign, featured across all Univision platforms-television, radio, online and mobile-is being conducted in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education and community, education, and civil rights groups from around the country.
According to research, the high school graduation rate for Hispanic students is 55 percent compared to 69 percent for their non-Hispanic peers. Hispanic students lag behind their non-Latino peers on a number of key metrics, including standardized test scores, high school graduation rates, college matriculation rates, and college graduation rates. Given that one out of five K-12 students is Hispanic, closing this achievement gap is essential to help Latino students succeed in school and be prepared for today’s workforce, as well as to bolster the overall strength of the U.S. education system and the future of the nation’s economy.
CSU Dominguez Hills has been a partner with KMEX and Comunicard (fair founder) in the Es El Momento education fair since it was brought to California in 2009. In addition to being the host, the university organizes hundreds of staff members and students to serve as volunteers. The California State University system joins CSU Dominguez Hills as a major sponsor, with 14 campuses scheduled to have representatives at the fair.
For more information, call (310) 243-3337 or visit www.feriaparaaprender.com/LA.
