Salsa, bachata and merengue dance lessons offered by La Casa Cultural Latina provide a rhythm for University students to sway their hips to. The Latino Youth Conference, in the Union Friday, aims to sway a different age group – high school students – to take advantage of the resources for Latin American students in higher education.

According to data from the 2006 U.S. Census, Latinos account for nearly 15 percent of the population of Illinois, but only about 6 percent of the demographic composition of the University.

Cristy Navarro, junior in LAS, chose to seek out her heritage when she came to campus three years ago.

“At first I did not know how many Latinos were at this University. I wanted to learn more about a different culture, one that seems to be an invisible class,” she said.

Navarro found out about La Casa, a division of the Office of the Dean of Students, through a professor. Though she is temporarily sidelined from the dance floor by a knee injury, she participates in a range of other Latino community events.

Spanish-English conversation tables, film festivals and guest lecturers are not the singular emphasis of the Latino Youth Conference. In addition to promoting La Casa’s resources to the 125 high school students attending, college preparation will be addressed in depth.

According to a press release, presenters will provide practical information on demystifying the application process and recognizing skills that will be assets in the classroom and beyond.

Students from Champaign, Urbana, Rantoul Township and Arcola will be engaged in conversations and activities with Latina undergraduate, graduate and professional students who have experienced and overcome similar obstacles in the pursuit of higher education.

Jacer Aguilar, junior in LAS, said it was this cultural support system that drew her to the University.

“I was actually going to go to Purdue, but then after comparing the two, I realized there wasn’t really a strong community there to advocate,” she said. “It was very new, but here I could tell it was already well-established.”

Aguilar found this network when she got involved in the residence hall program Unidos Nuestra Fuerza Avanzara Siempre which provides support for Latino freshman, as well as scholarship opportunities.

The program is part of La Casa Alliance of Student Organizations, an informal group of registered student organization representatives who meet monthly to promote the integration of the Latino community. Represented groups include sororities, fraternities and professional organizations.

La Casa’s Latino Youth Conference will include a fair to acquaint the high school students with college life.

Navarro was happy to describe the Latino Community she sees as a student.

“It is small, yet underestimated. The Latino community is very diverse; I have met students from different ethnicities, and yet people come together to share their common interests,” she said.