Strength In Numbers for Latino Club

By Susan Lang

RVCC’s Orgullo Latino (Latin Pride) Student Club is growing faster than you can say “Caring-Reaching-Educating-Connecting-Enriching-Reaping.” And that’s partly because of a program with precisely that name.

C.R.E.C.E.R., which is also the Spanish word for “grow”, was started in 1996 by Orgullo Latino as an effort to help high school juniors and seniors see their potential to become high school graduates and college goers. They do this by inviting selected Latino students to visit the RVCC campus and see the realities of college life.

Because many Latino students today are unsure about whether or not to go college, or even pursue high school graduation, finding the courage they need to succeed involves showing the students that college is within their reach, and that help is available. C.R.E.C.E.R. demonstrates this through information sessions, application assistance, financial aid and scholarships, student activities, and even question and answer sessions.

This support is a big part of why the student club can’t help growing. According to club advisor Eva Fontanez, administrative assistant of Academic Resource Development and Governmental Relations, about 15-20 new students join the club at the start of each semester. She says she is looking forward to this semester’s estimated 150 members getting getting higher still.

And the cycle perpetuates itself. With its continual growth, the Orgullo Latino Club maintains its drive to keep giving back to the communities in which they were raised. By becoming role models within the C.R.E.C.E.R. program, they foster hope and drive in younger high school students still unsure of their futures.

“Most of the club members know what it’s like to be in high school, and unsure of what they’re going to do with the rest of their lives,” expressed Fontanez. “This is why it is important for us to give back to our community. It’s just the right thing to do.”

With their involvement in numerous activities on and off of campus, the Orgullo Latino Club is constantly making people aware of its existence. Various activities during November’s Hispanic Heritage Month strived to promote awareness, and its interaction with organizations and individuals fosters a growing sense of community.

While getting the money for the program is often its main concern, the club’s efforts always manage to get what is needed. Through bake sales and other club fund-raising, the C.R.E.C.E.R program is their top priority.

Seeing the success that its C.R.E.C.E.R. program brings each year, Fontanez is continually excited about the amount of new students who are hopefully going to get involved with the Orgullo Latino Club.

No wonder the Latino community on our school is increasing. We seek out students unsure of their future goals, and bring them to a better education and a brighter tomorrow here at Raritan Valley Community College.

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