On Monday, September 8, family members and friends of Skyline College Puente students attended the annual Noche de Familia (Family Night). The celebration recognized our Puentistas’ academic endeavors as family achievements, and focused on the family as a main source of support for continued student success
The evening’s program, filled with music and refreshments, allowed family members to gain insight into the academic lives of our Puentistas. Lucia Lachmayr, Puente Program Coordinator/ English Instructor, and Melanie Espinueva, Puente Counselor, conducted an orientation for attendees introducing the national Puente Program model and explaining its positive impact on Puente students’ academic performance. An informational workshop on FAFSA, BOGFW, Federal grants and scholarships was also presented by Jocelyn Vila, Financial Aid Program Services Coordinator.
The highlight of the evening was a dialogue that occurred between students and family members regarding ways to support academic success. The students gathered to discuss ways they felt their loved ones could support their academic goals while their loved ones worked together to create a list of ways they felt they could provide such support. Students, family, and friends ended the evening by committing to support each other’s academic goals and personal development.
A special thanks to Jocelyn Vila for the Financial Aid presentation, the Skyline College Center for Legal Studies and SparkPoint at Skyline College for providing informational flyers on the Legal Clinic and SparkPoint services, and the Language Arts and Counseling divisions for supporting the celebration.
Puente looks forward to launching this year’s mentorship program and providing Puente students opportunities to attend cultural events and 4-year university tours. For more information on the Puente Program, please contact Lucia Lachmayr lachmayrl@smccd.edu or Melanie Espinueva espinuevam@smccd.edu.
Article and Photo by Melanie Espinueva
