[media-credit name=”Christopher Soto/ Staff” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]
It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a learning community to raise a Latino scholar.

Harvard graduate Oscar Ramos told an enraptured room of Southwestern College Puente students that is was a program like theirs that showed him the path from East Oceanside to the Ivy League.

“From a very early age, I was interested in education and wanted to be a teacher,” said Ramos. “It was very obvious to me that the students that grew up in my neighborhood didn’t make it out of high school or they were shot or they were in jail or they just didn’t go anywhere after high school. And it’s just so clearly wrong that people that come from backgrounds that are poor, without education, don’t get the opportunity to go on.”

Upon graduating from Harvard University, Ramos’s desire to be a teacher was challenged. People couldn’t wrap their heads around why. But most Ivy Leaguers did not come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Some had parents and members of the community to guide them through their college experience, from application to graduation. For Ramos, the academic discussions at home were very limited. His parents were supportive but had no experience with higher education. He felt like he was on his own.

“I benefited from a program like this in high school, Upward Bound, that showed me the steps for getting into college,” he said.

In his speech Ramos stressed the importance of turning to one’s own community for support. He considers being a teacher his way of giving back.

For puentistas, the quest to build one’s own community can begin at the ASO Puente Club.

Puente’s purpose is to aid students of certain demographics to improve their chances at academic success. Though its main goal is getting students to transfer to four-year universities, it also serves in helping them build a network of budding colleagues and established professionals. As diverse as their backgrounds are, puentistas seek to overcome educational barriers. Many of them are the first in their families to attend college. While some may have the full support of their parents, many don’t have anyone who they can relate to and guide them through gamut of college life challenges.

Priscilla Silva, graphic design major, the public relations officer for Puente said she was in charge of promoting fundraisers and activities.

“This year’s goal is to raise $2,500 to take students on a university tour of Northern California,” she said. “We are set to visit UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz and San Francisco State University.”

Professor of English Noreen Maddox emphasizes what she calls soft skills and hard skills. Maddox beamed at the sight of students and mentors socializing, soft skills in action. “Soft skills are those that are more difficult to teach and master, such as maintaining a positive attitude, having integrity, being a good listener, and respecting others,” she said.

Attitude is on the top of the list of soft skills, Maddox said. She believes that getting one’s head in the right place makes it possible to achieve anything.

After dinner, Maddox engaged guests in a game she adapted from the movie “Freedom Writers.”

“I just wanted to show our students that the journey is not straight,” Maddox said. “It’s a lot of curves and ups and downs but just stay with it.”

Puente students meet regularly with their mentors and a Puente counselor who helps them navigate college. Jorge Hernandez said he is well versed in college resources because of puente.

“Exploit the Career Center,” said Hernandez. “Squeeze it like juice from a lemon.”

Students were paired with their mentors and made plans to meet soon. No longer must these students navigate their educational journey alone, said Felan-Gonzales. “Once a puentista,” she said. “Always a puentista.”