The Latino Student Fund

The LSF is devoted to assisting Hispanic/Latino youth through six main initiatives:, the Scholars Program, the Tutoring Program, the LISTO Program, LISTO Rapido, the Adult Program, and Informational Outreach services. All programs and services are free of charge for our students and their parents.

Scholars Program:  The LSF provides financial aid, education-related support, and mentoring through our Scholars Program. During the 2010-2011 academic year, the LSF provided over $81,000 in scholarships to more than 80 students grades PreK-12.  During 2011-2012, the LSF will support 94 students through this program. Students in the Scholars Program also have access to tutoring services, SAT preparation courses, LISTO and Listo Rapido Programs, College Night, and individualized academic counseling.  In 2011, 100% of high school students in the Scholars program were accepted into institutions of higher education. The small stipends that we provide are supplemented by a series of workshops designed for family networking. Though our stipends are small, they are often the ‘make or break' money for parents to be able to enroll their children in independent or parochial schools.  The funds frequently cover such additional expenses as books, activity fees, and uniforms. The LSF has pledged to keep all our Scholars until they graduate from high school, provided that they continue to remain academically eligible. This enables us to form strong bonds with the students and their families as they grow and mature. When we see each step of a child's growth and transition, we are better able to immediately address any inconsistencies in performance and ensure that each child and family is receiving the individual support they need over the years.

Tutoring Program: The Tutoring Program provides free academic support through individualized tutoring for PreK-12th grade students in all areas of academic learning. In 2010-2011 over 150 underprivileged Hispanic/Latino students from the Washington, DC metropolitan area were served. During the Tutoring Program students receive supplemental academic support and reinforce their skills in key subjects such as mathematics, reading, and writing comprehension. Students in the Tutoring Program also have access to SAT preparation courses, LISTO and LISTO Rapido Programs, College Night, and individualized academic counseling. 

LISTO Program: A College Prep Course for Hispanic/Latino High School Students is a new program developed by the Latino Student Fund staff in response to increasing educational needs for the fastest growing Hispanic demographic which has the greatest lag in high school and college completion rates.  Today, the college-going rate for Hispanic/Latino high school graduates is 37% and half of Hispanics enrolled in college are among the first in their family to pursue higher education.  Financial aid and scholarships are crucial for many Hispanic/Latino students, but on average, they receive lower amounts of financial aid compared to any other racial or ethnic group.  The LISTO program seeks to remove common barriers to higher education by increasing college readiness and helping Hispanic/Latino students and their families navigate the complex college admission and financial aid process. 

LISTO Rapido: This summer (2011), the LSF added an intensive week-long “LISTO Rapido” workshop for high school juniors and seniors in order to increase capacity, test a more concentrated approach, and add additional elements to the program based on previous participant feedback.  The program will continue to draw admission representatives and experts from around the country in order to have the greatest impact on our students. 

Adult Programs: The Latino Student Fund’s Adult programs take place while the Tutoring Program is in session on Saturday mornings from 10:00am-12:00pm. The main program that is offered to adults is an English language program that aims to empower Hispanic/Latino parents with the language skills they need to navigate their lives in the United States in a manageable and efficient way. The supplemental programs that are offered to adults at the Tutoring Program vary to meet the needs of the families each year. Past workshops have focused on computer literacy, citizenship training, and health services.

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