On the recordOctober 20, 2015
As we close Hispanic Heritage Month and look back at our community's history and ongoing challenges, I rise today to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. For 25 years, the Initiative has played an important role in advancing the dialogue and policies that have helped our community move forward. This year, as part of its anniversary celebration, the Initiative released the Bright Spots in Hispanic Education, an online national catalog. The catalog features 230 programs, organizations, and initiatives that are supporting and investing in educational attainment of Hispanics from cradle to career. Today, I congratulate four Bright Spots in my district that have been recognized for their outstanding commitment and contributions to our community: the American Dream Academy, the Bilingual Nursing Fellows Program, the Fowler Head Start Program, and the Victoria Foundation. These programs are leading the way to close the education gap. I look forward to continuing to work with them as they find ways to ensure every child, including Latino children, has the tools they need to succeed. ____________________
