Media Contact:                                                                                                   Olga Vásquez, (858) 534-6284, or Jan Jennings, (858) 822-1684

UCSD OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR LATINO YOUTHS RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS INNOVATIVE AND OUTSTANDING

La Clase Mágica, an outreach program of the University of California, San Diego, has been selected as a winner of this year's La Promesa de un Futuro Brillante Award by the National Latino Children's Institute.

La Clase Mágica is one of 21 programs throughout the country to be honored as the most innovative and outstanding programs for Latino children and youth. The award winners will be guests of honor at a weekend celebration April 29 and 30 at Epcot in Orlando, Fla.

Olga Vásquez, founder of La Clase Mágica, reports that seven to 10 children, parents and staff members will attend the La Promesa de un Futuro Brillante gala in Florida. Events for the winners on April 29 will include tours for youth on technology and communication, conservation and environment, and world cultures, as well as leadership and advocacy training. On April 30 a parade proclaiming El día de los niños, Celebrating Young Americans will invite participation by all children and youth at Epcot that day.

Vásquez said the award "confirms that we are doing the right thing," that all the energy expended in providing special programs for Latino youths "has been worthwhile." She said she hopes the recognition brings "awareness of not only the hardships but the social rewards of investing resources in such projects. These programs are of true value to the youth, their families, and the community at large. We hope the example of La Clase Mágica will inspire others to take the challenge to provide culturally relevant, multilingual education."

La Clase Mágica serves Latino youth and children in an innovative way with a computer-based curriculum. It academically and socially prepares children and adolescents to succeed in school and within the community. The format for the program is the outgrowth of UCSD's Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition (LCHC) innovative, computer-based Fifth Dimension outreach model. La Clase Mágica was adapted to the educational and social needs of a bilingual and bicultural audience.

Last August, La Clase Mágica was one of a number of projects working with Latino youths recognized by Hillary Rodham Clinton at a gathering of project leaders at the White House.

The National Latino Children's Institute, based in Austin, Texas, is a national non-profit organization that creates a voice for Latino children and youth. Its mission is to promote and implement the National Latino Children's Agenda, a comprehensive statement of principles for the complete and healthy development of young Latinos.