Latino summit puts focus on success, lays down challenge
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008 - 11:38:02 am CDT
The Associated Press

LA VISTA -- Hispanic students in Nebraska have made strides academically in recent years and the challenge comes in continuing to raise the bar for all students, educators said Monday.

More than 700 educators, students and parents from across the state gathered for the Hispanic/Latino Education Summit on Monday. The daylong conference included more than two dozen information sessions focusing on everything from college preparation to services for migrant students in Nebraska.

The Nebraska Department of Education and the state Mexican-American Commission organized the summit, which drew the largest crowd in its five-year existence.

Expectations need to be raised for all students, particularly students who historically have had difficulty getting through high school and onto college, said Mary Ann Losh with the state Department of Education.

“As adults, we need to raise our expectations and understand that with mentors and support systems we can really increase the numbers of students going on to post-secondary opportunities,â€