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Indiana 4-H Hispanic Alumni College Enrollment Success

In the face of declining college enrollment, Indiana 4-H stands as a significant contributor to reversing this trend through its positive youth development programs, which promote strengths, skills and supportive relationships in youth. A recent dataset (2018-2023) reveals promising trends, particularly among Hispanic youth, highlighting the positive impact of Indiana 4-H on college enrollment rates.

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we are proud to spotlight the educational achievements of Hispanic Indiana 4-H alumni. The charts below show that, on average, Hispanic Indiana 4-H youth enrolled in college at a higher rate than both the state’s Hispanic population and the general Indiana college-going population during comparable years. This reinforces Indiana 4-H’s commitment to providing impactful programming for diverse communities.

Through the 4-H state and national programs, Hispanic 4-H members benefit from positive experiences, hands-on learning and supportive relationships that shape their journey toward becoming successful adults. In recognition of the unique and specific needs of Hispanic 4-H members, Indiana 4-H launched the Juntos 4-H program in 2020.

Comparison of College Enrollment Rates between Indiana and Indiana 4-H (%) Comparison of College Enrollment Rates between Indiana and Indiana 4-H (%)
Comparison of College Enrollment Rates between Indiana's Hispanic Population and Hispanic Indiana 4-H (%) Comparison of College Enrollment Rates between Indiana's Hispanic Population and Hispanic Indiana 4-H (%)

The Juntos 4-H program aims to provide Latino youth and their families with the resources and education necessary to navigate the education system and explore postsecondary options. The program, currently implemented across nine Indiana counties, offers Hispanic 4-H members a wide range of opportunities, including STEM education, mentorship, life skills development, civic engagement and pre-collegiate summer experiences.

Our inaugural cohort of Juntos 4-H youth, who began the program in 8th grade, are now seniors in high school. Reflecting on his experiences, Brian, a participant who joined at the encouragement of his parents after initial hesitance, said,

We got permission to visit Purdue University in West Lafayette to know how it feels to be a college student and what they do. I did it twice, and I got the chance to go to Washington, D.C., as well to meet other people. I feel that 4-H gave me a lot to take in, not for granted or bad terms, but to prepare me for college and the future in general.

Angel, another cohort member, expressed a similar opinion: “The program is great at discussing different solutions when it comes to life after graduation and how we could prepare ourselves. We have an annual Purdue trip, which is wonderful at showing us different career paths as well as campus life. It is very significant since I am very unfamiliar with college and its courses. It really has provided me with so many resources and advice I can incorporate in the very near future."

Monica's experience with 4-H was transformative: "Not only did 4-H help me grow as a person, but they prepared me and gave me resources for after high school. They explained the process of transitioning from high school to college and what to do to get into college, whether that be explaining the FAFSA process, the differences between private and non-private four-year institutions, or even explaining the benefits of going to college. I’ve always known I had planned to go to college, but after joining 4-H, it really motivated me to continue trying and strive for greater success and reach new heights."

After serving as president of her local 4-H Club, attending conferences and building leadership and communication skills, Stephanie described her experience as "amazing" and noted, "Juntos has not only helped me, but it has also helped my parents. They have been able to understand more of what the process after high school is like."

Jairo, who aspires to pursue a bachelor’s degree in finance, also highlighted the program's influence on his career development. He said, “Doing community work, being able to visit colleges, and doing fun mini lessons during meetings have prepared me to achieve a higher education and to be disciplined in keeping good grades and being responsible for my work."

The Juntos 4-H program prepares 8th- through 12th-grade Latino youth for higher education after completing high school. Stephanie expressed her plans to attend Ivy Tech Community College after high school to earn an associate degree in nursing, with the goal of transferring to a four-year university in her junior year to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. Similarly, Angel looks forward to attending Ivy Tech to achieve a major in early education. He later plans to pursue a bachelor's degree tando become a first-grade teacher. Monica intends to major in accounting or pursue a double major in accounting and finance, hoping to attend Indiana University Bloomington. It is anticipated that other Indiana Juntos 4-H participants will pursue various forms of postsecondary education.

To confirm actual college enrollment and completion of its Juntos 4-H participants, Indiana 4-H plans to conduct a long-term college readiness study to track the postsecondary educational journey of Juntos 4-H participants. Until then, Indiana 4-H continues to close the gap and empower Latino youth on their path to higher education. Learn more about Juntos 4-H, a program giving Latino youth and their families the tools they need to succeed academically, at home, and in their postsecondary endeavors.
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