16th Annual Youth Awards in 10 National Markets!

High-Achieving Youth Promoted as Role Models, Connected to Large National Network and Received Educational Grants

WASHINGTON, DC – Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) and its sponsors hosted the 16^th Annual Hispanic Heritage Foundation Youth Awards, honoring 21 Latino high school seniors in 10 markets across America for their accomplishments in the classroom, community and their focus on various categories. HHF also promoted the young leaders as role models to their peers through social media as they moved forward to college and provided them with grants, which were intended to be used for their education or social entrepreneurship to support their leadership for years to come.  Past Youth Awardees joined elected officials, educators, community and business leaders, and families in celebration of the students’ achievement. After the Regional Youth Awards Ceremonies in 10 markets, one recipient was chosen in each of the categories to attend the National Youth Awards in San Juan, Puerto Rico in January 2015 with celebrities. (Recipients’ average GPA was over a 3.5)

“The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is looking forward to another group of young leaders from the Phoenix area that we can count on for the future and right now,” said Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of HHF.  “We don’t want to simply honor the outstanding students but more importantly put them in a position from which to lead.  Our model is to support innovative leaders to impact thousands of others in industries and fields which are priorities for America’s workforce.  And we are grateful to our dedicated sponsors who also realize the importance of tapping a resource like our Latino youth to move not just our community but America forward.”

After receiving the awards, the students were funneled into HHF’s LOFT (Latinos On Fast Track) award-winning, leadership and workforce development program focused on 10 “Tracks” or fields including healthcare, science, technology, engineering, education, public service, entrepreneurship, media and entertainment, finance and Latinas.  Tens of thousands of students and young professionals are connected to each other through the LOFT Network;  thousands are prepared through trainings, priority-field-tailored symposium, workshops, and Charlas (online Google hangouts with experts); and hundreds are placed into internships, mentorships, fellowships and full-time positions with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.

Youth Awards Regional Ceremonies took place in:

Phoenix, Oct. 21, 2014, Arizona State University

Los Angeles, Oct. 22, 2014, University of Southern California

Miami, Oct. 28, 2014, University of Miami

Atlanta, Nov. 18, 2014, Georgia Tech University

Dallas, Nov. 20, 2014, Southern Methodist University

Chicago, Nov. 24, 2014, Loyola University

Houston, Dec. 2, 2014, University of Houston

San Jose, Dec. 4, 2014, Stanford University

Washington, DC, Dec. 9, 2014, Capitol Hill

New York, Dec. 16, 2014, Viacom

National Youth Awards, January 29, 2014, Puerto Rico

The 2014 Youth Awards categories were:

• Business & Entrepreneurship – sponsored by BBVA Compass
• Community Service – sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Education – sponsored by Southwest Airlines
• Engineering & Mathematics – sponsored by ExxonMobil
• Healthcare & Science – sponsored by CVS Caremark Workforce Initiatives
• Innovation & Technology – sponsored by Entertainment Software Association
• Sports & Fitness – sponsored by NASCAR

Additional partners of the Youth Awards included: UPS, PhRMA, Google, NRCCUA, Direct Auto Insurance, Rebuild the Dream, i.am.angel Foundation, Qlovi, OCI Group, Es Tiempo, and Voto Latino.

Engage with us on Twitter by using the hashtag #YouthAwards!

About HHF and LOFT

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit originally established by the White House in 1987, inspires, prepares, positions and connects minority leaders in the classroom, community and workforce to meet America’s priorities.  HHF also promotes cultural pride, accomplishment, and the great promise of the community through public awareness campaigns seen by millions. HHF is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has offices in Los Angeles, New York and the LOFT Institute is housed at Michigan State University (Visit www.HispanicHeritage.org). Follow Hispanic Heritage Foundation on Facebook and @HHFoundation on Twitter.

HHF’s award-winning LOFT leadership and workforce development program is divided into 10 “Tracks,” or industries, which are priorities for America including Innovation & Technology, Science & Healthcare, Engineering, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Education, Public Service, Law, Media & Entertainment, and Latinas.  Tens of thousands of students and young professionals are connected to each other and to mentors and resources; over 50 trainings, workshops, and informal Charlas are hosted across the country; creative initiatives are executed; and hundreds of minorities are placed into internships, mentorships, fellowships and full-time positions with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.  Visit www.loftinnovation.org, and join http://loftnetwork.org to get on the fast track to leadership.  Follow LOFTinstitute on Twitter.

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Contact:  

Santiago Melli-Huber

SantiagoMH@hispanicheritage.org