Organizations Unite with HBSA to Make a Difference

Charityn Fernandez
Alpha Pi Sigma Sorority, Inc.

The incentive to increase the growth in education continues.  On Saturday, Nov. 5, 178 local high school and junior high students arrived to San Diego State University at 7:45 a.m. to attend the Hispanic Business Student Association’s second annual High School Conference. 

The Hispanic Business Student Association is an organization whose mission is to promote awareness of and address educational and business issues relevant to the San Diego State University campus.

Being said that education is one of the vital topics for this group of leaders, High School Conference is one of their principal annual events.  It is a free event open to students and parents from the San Diegan community, but directed especially for those that come from a low-income background.  A week prior to the event, Rene Galindo, one of the coordinators of this event as well as a member of Beta Gamma Nu fraternity, said, “The target group of this event is underrepresented not only at SDSU but at other universities around the country. The goal of HBSA’s High School Conference is to push these students into pursuing a higher education and to empower them to fight for their dreams.”   

To achieve the main objective, High School Conference offered the guest parents and students a program from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with informational workshops and activities to interact with SDSU students and alumni, two keynote speakers, and a campus tour-type scavenger hunt competition.  Free breakfast and lunch were provided to all attendees of the event.

The welcoming guest speaker was radio host from Channel 93.3, Gina the Latina.  She shared her hardships as a child and the steps she took to become the successful person she is now.  She ended her speech with the warm message, “No matter where we come from or what color our skin is, no one and nothing can stop us from achieving our dreams.”  Followed from Gina’s presentation, the students and parents split into groups to attend the workshops. 

Some of the workshop topics included college life, paying for college and Latino empowerment.  One of the most interesting workshops for the students was the College Life workshop.  The emphasis of this workshop was to show students how life in college differs from life as a high school student.  The workshop was led by Yvonne Hernandez, the Assistant Director of Student Life & Leadership for Greek Life at San Diego State University.  The panel of interviewees for this workshop included students from Alpha Pi Sigma, Nu Alpha Kappa, and the Latino Business Association (from CSU San Marcos).  These students shared their experiences on living at the dorms, being involved on campus, college work, time management, and the very popular question, social life as college students.  Lunch followed after the workshops.

The last activity of the day was a scavenger hunt around SDSU.  Students were split into teams of 8-15 students and were given a list of challenges to accomplish within an hour.  The activities included tasks such as going to Hepner Hall and singing to “Hey Mickey,” in SDSU gear.  There were about 12 stations in the scavenger hunt, and at each station, a piece of information about campus would be revealed.  For example, at Hepner Hall, the students were told about the filming of the movie “Bring It On” at San Diego State University.  Volunteers from Reality Changers, Casa Azteca and Hermanitas guided the activities of the scavenger hunt, as volunteers from the SDSU community led the students to their stations.  It was mentioned that the scavenger hunt was the favorite activity for the students. Several prizes were given to the winning team.

The race was concluded and our closing speaker arrived.  Roberto Vargas, an accountant and member of ALIANZA entrepreneurship and mentorship program, and former SDSU student and HBSA member, closed the event referencing Steve Jobs on how this man changed the world with an idea; he said, “You guys can change the world with just one idea, and it is up to you whether you want to bring an idea to the world or not.  It is up to you to make a difference, and a good one, because centuries after you leave the world, just like Steve Jobs will be remembered, you will be remembered because you made a difference.  Guys, Steve Jobs didn’t become famous because he got rich.  He became a wealthy man because he had a rich idea.  Knowledge is the most valuable thing a human being can possess, because that is what we take with us when we leave the earth.   All these students that are volunteering today could be spending their Saturday somewhere else, but they are here because they want you to further your education and be the future leaders, the future ideas.”

This event was made possible thanks to its sponsors Chipotle, Northgate, Jarritos, Ralphs, Target, Panda Express, and the support of SDSU’s College of Business and ITS Department. The Hispanic Business Student Association thanks the helping SDSU student organizations and local nonprofit organizations like Hermanitas and Reality Changers, as well as the keynote speakers Gina the Latina and Roberto Vargas for helping make this a successful event. 

No questions asked, the students had a good time and took home a new idea about life; everyone has the opportunity to make a difference in the world.  The lives of many of these kids have already had an impact just by attending High School Conference.  Given that it only takes one idea to make a difference.

Charityn is a junior studying journalism and Spanish. You may contact her at charitynfernandez@hotmail.com.