History and Purpose
Las Llaves del Éxito was started in fall 2002 by a committee of community members who wanted to encourage high school students to graduate from high school and to continue their education. The founding group intended to target the Latino community and its tendency to make family-based decisions about attending college, and sessions were created to inform students and Spanish-speaking parents about options for higher education. All interested high school students may attend, and the program now serves as an access tool for larger, underrepresented communities in Dallas.
Two Events
Las Llaves del Éxito started as a fall semester event; it has expanded to include a spring program, too. In the fall, Las Llaves is a general program open to all interested students in grades eight or higher (both middle school and high school) and their families, complete with informational workshops, a lecture series and a college fair. The spring session targets high school juniors and seniors, as well as their parents, and includes a college fair, plus specific workshops on financial aid and admissions to meet the needs of college-bound students.
Meeting Community Needs
Sponsors include the Dallas County Community College District, the Dallas Independent School District, Dr Pepper and the University of North Texas at Dallas. Partners include the the University of Texas at Dallas, the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Education Is Freedom, The Advancement Group, Capital One Bank University Crossroads, Mega 107.5, McDonald’s, Texas A&M University-Commerce, the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce, Dallas County Schools, LULAC National Educational Services Centers Inc., Univision, El Centro College, the University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University and the University of Texas at Arlington.
Participation
In fall 2011 and spring 2012, Las Llaves programs attracted a total of more than 1,700 participants for both programs (at UNT Dallas and Mountain View College), including lunch guests and walk-ins following the official registration period. Middle school and high school students attended the fall 2011 program from Dallas ISD and other area school districts. The spring 2012 program, limited to juniors and seniors, also attracted Dallas ISD high schools, plus participants from other school districts across the county. During those programs, students worked on their financial aid forms, and more than 400 people served as event volunteers.
Contact Information
For more information, call the DCCCD outreach office at (214) 378-1738 or DCCCD’s Spanish line at (214) 378-1713. Details also are available at dcccd.edu/KeysToSuccess.