Latinx Heritage Month (LHM), also known as Hispanic Heritage Month, started out as a week-long celebration in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was later expanded to an entire month under President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

Unlike many other affinity months, LHM begins in the middle of the month on September 15. This day is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries like Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, while Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence on September 16 and September 18, respectively.

From September 15 to October 15, YES Prep will be sharing scholarship opportunities for our Latinx students and alumni, spotlight LHM activities happening across our campuses, feature YES Prep Latinx students and staff on our blog and begin registration for our annual Latinx Leadership Summit.

Annual Latinx Leadership Summit

The Latinx Leadership Summit is presented every year in order to give our student, staff and community an opportunity to celebrate and connect with one another, share their stories and learn more about their Latinx identity. This year, the Latinx Leadership Summit take place on Saturday, October 29, at YES Prep Brays Oaks, landing between LHM and Day of the Dead.

To learn more about the Latinx Summit and to register, visit yesprep.org/latinxsummit

Scholarships for Latinx students and alumni

As we do each LHM, we will be spotlighting scholarship opportunities for our Latinx students and alumni. We invite you to share this page with Latinx family and friends. You can also follow us on social media and tag students and alumni who could benefit from the scholarship in the comment section.

To view this year’s full list of scholarships for Latinx students, click here.

Spotlighting Latinx students & staff

• Diana Rios, principal at YES Prep Southeast Elementary shares how time has taught her that her identity matters. Rios reminisces growing up in Colombia and then moving to the United States where she had to learn a new language and work hard to achieve her dreams. Click here to read more about her journey.
• Origen, YES Prep Southwest Secondary's Ballet Folklorico shares about the origins of their team and how they connect to their Latinx identity through dance. The Southwest community is excited to be able to offer this extracurricular activity that so beautifully connects our Latinx students to a form of expression that speaks to their identity, and in turn be able to share with our entire YES Prep community the beauty of this style of dance from Latin America. Click here to learn more about folklorico & how our students connect their Latinx identity through dance.
• Nella Garcia Urban, chief external officer at YES Prep, shares how she leads from her Latina identity & empowers others to do the same. Garcia Urban shares how she was inspired by her dad and grandmother to never shy away from her identity and how to use your cultural lens as a gift. Click here to learn more about Nella.

LHM celebrations at YES Prep schools

• North Forest Elementary – Thurs., Sept. 22 – Family night kicking off LHM
• Southwest Secondary – Fri., Sept. 23 – LHM Pep Rally
• Southeast Secondary – Fri., Sept. 23 – LHM Assembly
• North Central Elementary – Tues., Sept. 27 – LHM Showcase
• Fifth Ward Secondary – Wed., Sept. 28 – Performance by the Southwest Folklorico Dance Team
• West Secondary – Thurs., Sept. 29 – LHM Family Night
• Southside Secondary – Fri., Sept. 30 – LHM Pep Rally
• Brays Oaks Secondary – Fri., Oct. 7 – LHM Assembly
• Southwest Secondary – Fri., Oct. 7 – Loteria Night
• Eisenhower High – Wed., Oct. 12 – LHM Fiesta
• Northline Secondary – Thurs., Oct. 13 – LHM Celebration: Loteria Night
• Southeast Elementary – Thurs., Oct. 13 – LHM Family Engagement Night
• North Forest Secondary – Thurs., Oct. 13 – LHM Celebration Night

We invite you to come back as this list will continue to grow. For further details and updates on the events being held at your school, contact your front desk receptionist. 

We hope you will join us in celebrating LHM via social media. Follow along by using #YESPrepLHM.

From all of us at YES Prep, happy Latinx Heritage Month!