Raising Career Aspirations of Hispanic Girls

This pamphlet examines the conditions that put female Hispanic Americans at risk of not completing their education and not aspiring to careers, and describes a program that takes advantage of the important role played by the mother in Hispanic culture. The following factors make female Hispanic Americans the most at-risk of all students: (1) low grades and disciplinary problems; (2) lack of role models; (3) disproportionate levels of referrals to special education classes; (4) low teacher expectations; (5) lack of adequate vocational and career counseling; (6) stereotypical portrayals in the curriculum; (7) weak educational support at home; and (8) mothers with low educational attainment and low educational expectations for their daughters. The Mother-Daughter Program is a collaborative program involving the University of Texas, the YWCA, and three El Paso (Texas) school districts. The program targets Hispanic American female students in grade 6 and their mothers from low-income families in which no member has graduated from college. Mothers are a central focus of the program, because their expectations, involvement, and role-modeling have a lasting impact on their daughters' educational development. Participants engage in a variety of activities on local college campuses and in community service programs. Hispanic American college women who serve as role models are a vital component of the program. Mothers and daughters participating in the program report increased career awareness, self-confidence, and educational aspirations. A list of 20 references is appended. (FMW)