How this student-led summit hopes to empower Delaware's Latino students: Education roundup

It started with senior Naelyn Hughson-Gonzalez telling her adviser she had an idea.

Now, students across Delaware have been spending their summer organizing an empowerment event kicking off early this school year. The first Latinos Unidos Student Summit aims to attract Latino high school students, their advisers and allies to a free, half-day gathering next month. It will celebrate community, culture — and student voice.

"I didn't realize just how much support I would get for it," she said. "Seeing it grow the way it's growing, it's just amazing."

Hughson-Gonzalez and other student organizers hope to see all students take interest and register online, as everyone eyes the return to school this week and next in Delaware.

Those start dates vary from district to district. And, schools and families alike are getting ready for student arrivals. Three Capital schools for one are set celebrate joining Verizon Innovative Learning — sending some 3,715 devices with data plans to its students.

In this roundup, we'll catch you up on a couple education updates you may have missed.

[ Did we miss another good story? Tell me about it: kepowers@gannett.com. ]

ICYMI last week: Can I own a home? HUD to host fair aimed at young Delawareans: Education roundup

'Access to inspiration'

Bonita Green still remembers hearing her student's pitch in an after-school Latinos Unidos meeting.

Naelyn Hughson-Gonzalez had just attended the second-annual Black Student Summit in spring 2023. She would come into her Latino student organization meeting at a Newark high school, hoping to re-create it.

"I simply shared her vision," said Green, Spanish teacher at Hodgson Vo-Tech. "And here we are today making it happen."

Hughson-Gonzalez wanted to see a summit event for Latino students across the first state.

"We want to share more information and more ideas about what our cultures are about," said the Bear resident. "We just want to promote our knowledge, and we want our voices to be heard. I want everyone to know that they have a voice and that they can stand up for themselves."

The Latinos Unidos Student Summit will have a keynote speaker in Rony Baltazar-Lopez, director of policy and communications with Delaware Department of State, free lunch, networking and more. Breakout sessions led by other guests will range from dancing and cultural traditions; immigration and law; mental health and generational trauma; sexualization of Hispanic women and machismo; as well as college applications and funding for first-generation scholars.

The event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 16, hopes to see Latino high schoolers, advisers and any allies head to Hodgson Vo-Tech High School. It's free, transportation is offered and anyone interested can register online.

Raina Allen said the summit looks to foster community and activism across Delaware's Latinos Unidos student unions and associations. The Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative director, working with hosting organization United Way, is hoping to see the event empower student voice.

But Saturday's agenda was largely planned by students.

"The main goal of summit is to engage the community and bring people from all across the state together," said Oscar Hageman, a fellow student organizer and rising senior at Cape Henlopen High School. "And people who may not have access to opportunities — or maybe not even so much opportunities as inspiration, access to inspiration, seeing people like them succeeding."

Delaware high school sports: District 2A-2 football preview: First senior class ready for big finish at Odessa

Capital schools to mark new technology, new middle school campus

Next in education news: How about more than 3,700 devices and market value near $2.3 million per school.

Middle School of Excellence, Middle School of Innovation and Dover High School can expect this investment and data plans to match as these Capital schools become "Verizon Innovative Learning Schools" ahead of the 2023-24 school year.

"The Capital School District is honored to be selected to launch three new Verizon Innovation Learning Schools,”said CEO and Superintendent Vilicia Cade in a statement. “As the first school district in Delaware to be selected toparticipate, we aspire to serve as a lighthouse to shine a path forward to encourage our neighboring districts whoare motivated to help in our efforts to eradicate digital inequities."

Want Delaware sports news? Sign up for our newsletter on high school and college sports

Verizon’s initiative aims to address barriers to digital inclusion, according to the district, driving equity within education for some of the most vulnerable populations. It has reached 592 schools nationwide to date. Capital plans to celebrate the link on a new Dover Middle School Campus.

This "Grand Opening Celebration" for the new campus will also unveil two new schools — The Middle School of Excellence and The Middle School of Innovation — and it all starts at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30.

Appoquinimink hosting grand opening of new elementary school

Appoquinimink School District’s newest building is here: Crystal Run Elementary.

The system is hosting a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony ahead of tours and a meet-the-teacher event for Crystal Run families, community partners and elected officials. It all starts at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 30, and the event is set for the new structure at 1470 Aviator Way, in Middletown, inside the cafetorium.

Have a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for the USA TODAY Network's Northeast Region and Delaware Online/The News Journal, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Summit hopes to empower Delaware's Latino students