Student retention organization recognized

Staff writer

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With five years of providing programs geared towards retaining high school students and encouraging them to take the next step to higher education, ENgaging LAtino Communities for Education (ENLACE) New Mexico was recognized by the Portales Municipal Schools Board of Education for their contributions to the school and the community Monday night during the district’s school board meeting.

The organization, which refers to itself as a network of transformational leaders and programs, has been helping Portales students to stay in school, graduate and move on to college through tutoring programs funded by the state and contributions from New Mexico schools, according to ENLACE Eastern Regional Director Sylvia Montano.

ENLACE partners with local institutions, like Eastern New Mexico University, to provide tutors for students in the Portales school district, Montano told school board members during a presentation.

According to Montano, ENLACE uses the funds it receives from the state to pay tutors to help children at any of the schools where they are needed.

Montano said the organization works with the school’s administration to determine the areas that children need tutoring in.

In addition to tutoring, Montano said the organization holds conferences to educate parents and their children on how to apply for college and fill out all of the paperwork required to get a student into a higher education institution.

ENLACE Eastern Regional Higher Education Coordinator Adrian White said the organization’s high education program aims to “de-mystify” the process of going to college.

White boasted that of the ENLACE’s 202 students state-wide, 180 graduated high school and 150 went to college.

White said he makes two weekly visits to Portales High School to help students prepare for college.

“To see even one student go through the processes to go to college means so much,” White said.

Portales schools Federal Programs Director Henry Montano said the work ENLACE does with the high school helps make up for programs lost due to federal budget cuts.

ENLACE has three tutors who help students at PHS and five tutors working with students at Portales Junior High School.

According to Henry Montano, ENLACE has recently added three tutors from ENMU to help children with homework at the Portales Recreation Center as part of the center’s after school program.

He said the organization allows students access to tutors they would not have been able get otherwise.

“They (ENLACE) have helped us immensely. They allow us to help more kids and families,” Henry Montano said.