Five Jamesville-Dewitt High School juniors and seniors participated in the Puerto Rican / Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute in March, showcasing their commitment to leadership and cultural engagement. This event provided them with valuable opportunities to learn and connect with peers about the importance of leadership roles.
Juniors Stephaine Alfonso and Sara Skewes along with seniors Stefanie Cervantes, Gabriela Garcia-Thomas, and Rebecca Siquier enjoyed their time at the event. “The PRHYLI has opened my eyes to the importance of leadership in our communities,” said junior Stephanie Alfonso. Each of the students each got assigned their own delegate to represent. One of the delegates was an art-based workshop which Stefanie Cervantes participated in. The activity Cervantes participated in depicted the theme of this year which was “Perseverance and Power of Democracy”. The students who were assigned the art-based workshop worked together to create a mural to fit this year’s theme. They also attended a speech of keynote speaker- astronaut Jose Hernandez who gave an overview of his story and upbringing.
Siquier was also appointed the PRHYLI Outstanding Delegate. “I felt very honored and shocked to win the PRHYLI Outstanding Delegate,” said Siquier. “I couldn’t be more grateful though.” Siquier joined PRHYLI because she thought it would be a good way to expand her information about how the United States government works and what to do to improve it in the future. The PRHYLI Outstanding Delegate award awarded her a $1,100 scholarship because of the essay that she wrote about Perseverance and the Power of Democracy. With this scholarship, she plans to attend Syracuse University to study journalism and to get a masters degree for political science. Siquier will also go to Washington D.C, where she will meet with elected officials, visit historical landmarks of the nation’s capital, and learn more about government, leadership, and advocacy.
Prior to attending the conference the juniors and seniors who participated in the event had to train from late November to early March to build their teamwork and leadership skills. The event lasted for a total of two days from Saturday, March 8 to Monday, March 10. On the first day of the event, all the students gathered at Union College or the State Capitol, in Albany. There, all the students were assigned a delegation of the state of New York. After, each student was then assigned a delegate. Next, they were taken to a workshop where they attended various activities and speeches. At the end of the event all of the students who participated in the event attended a ceremony for people who applied for the PRHYLI Outstanding Delegate award.
The Puerto Rican / Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute was established by the late assemblyman Angelo del Toro due to how underrepresented the Hispanic community was all over the U.S, especially in Congress. PRHYLI is a program that empowers and engages Hispanic youth in the legislative process through leadership development, civic engagement, and opportunities to interact with positive role models and learn about the New York State legislative process.
