Proudly partnered with Linn-Benton Community College’s second annual High School Latine Leadership Conference.
The halls of Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC) were filled with joyful Latinx high school students on April 24, 2025, for the second annual Latine High School Leadership Conference, hosted by LBCC’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. The vibrant sounds of laughter and excitement echoed throughout campus as the 177 students moved between sessions, learning how to be leaders in their classrooms, communities, and families.
Session topics covered a wide range of timely subjects, including leadership in tech, leveraging AI in education and careers, to addressing conflict resolution and mental health. One session focused on creating representation and honoring local community leaders, including Maria Andrade, Rosa Plascencia, Mario Magaña, and John Haroldson Suárez by painting their portraits, which will be displayed in LBCC’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Students shared how inspiring it was to be surrounded by others from the local Latinx communities. They reflected on the connections made with students from neighboring towns, finding support from friends—new and old—and being emotionally and socially lifted by one another. At noon, the learning sessions paused, giving everyone the chance to gather together for lunch, with a special moment to celebrate a student’s birthday.
In The MILL, MVSCH’s maker lab, students participated in a session exploring the meaning of leadership. The group, led by Dr. Dominga Sanchez, discussed the skills they could bring to classrooms, workplaces, and family situations to promote positive leadership and ensure everyone’s voice is heard. Following the discussion, the students learned how to screen print, creating commemorative tote bags and designing pin-backed buttons with one word that encapsulated what leadership means to them. The students also reflected on positive leadership qualities as they decorated their own leadership toolboxes. MVSCH staff had crafted the toolboxes using a laser cutter, which sparked a conversation about leadership opportunities in STEAM industries.
The day concluded with a closing ceremony where four students were awarded scholarships. One of the recipients, Jessica Muñoz from West Albany High School, received a $1,200 scholarship from the Mid-Valley STEM-CTE Hub to support her upcoming studies at Linn-Benton Community College.
