This spring, seventeen 8th-grade Latina students from Jackson and Jefferson middle schools traveled to Northern Illinois University for an “Aspiring Latinas” event that included a campus tour, a financial aid information session, and a panel discussion with Latina students enrolled at NIU.
Eleven parents and guardians were also present. Marilu Barriga, parent of Jefferson Middle School 8th-grader Mia Barriga, attended the event hoping it would reinforce what she has tried to instill in Mia since she was little: “You CAN go to college.”
Determined to manifest college dreams, Mrs. Barriga eagerly jotted down notes on college application deadlines, financial aid options and letters of recommendation.
Mrs. Barriga shared that the visit to NIU was bittersweet as she would have liked the experience for her own parents, who, unfamiliar with the higher education system in the United States, could not support her college aspirations.
“I did not have the opportunity to go to college, “ said Mrs. Barriga. “But I can apply this new knowledge with my own daughter and offer her an opportunity that I did not have.”
Mia enjoyed visiting NIU with her mother and said she learned a lot from the panel discussion, including the variety of university-level career track options and affordable options to help pay for college.
“The panel’s discussion of how much they spent on college made me worry,” said Mia. “But, my worries went away when they talked about scholarships and how they help.”
Having graduated college herself, Juanita Aguirre, parent of Bianca Aguirre, an 8th-grader at Jackson Middle School, attended the event having experienced the college process but was pleasantly surprised by the support available to the new generations of college students.
“Counselors are with you step by step,” said Aguirre. “I was a first-generation college student. I did everything on my own. I didn’t have that support, and my parents didn’t have the knowledge.”
After hearing the stories shared during the panel discussion, Bianca said the experience humbled her. “They worked so hard for what they have,” she said of the students. “They inspired me to do my best and put hard effort into everything I do.”
As part of the event’s program, parents were encouraged to write letters to their daughters with their hopes for their daughters’ futures, while participating students wrote letters to their future selves. When the students are seniors in high school, they will open the letters and reflect on how the experience helped shape their journey to higher education.
Thank you to Northern Illinois University for welcoming our participating 8th-grade girls, parents and guardians. A special thank you to Dr. Sandy López, the Director of the Undocumented Student Resource Center at NIU, for presenting and helping to coordinate this event with District 45’s Department of EL/Bilingual Services.