NHI expands CWSx to prepare students for college admission, lifelong learning

This year’s National Hispanic Institute CWSx programs — the first taking place in late June, and the second wrapping up last week — built upon last year’s initial forays into the digitally-delivered Collegiate World Series. Both the League Series, helping students prepare for the college admission process, and the Thought Series, introducing students to inquiry-based learning, were integrated into both CWSx experiences.

Both the University of North Texas and Schreiner University served as university sponsors for the digital programs, and Wells Fargo served as the corporate sponsor for the event.

Marc Nieto, Educational Director for the first of the two digital editions of the 2021 CWS, noted that features of the program, including making online chats available and utilizing small group forums online, enabled interaction even for students who are more introverted.

“I think the level of engagement – we broke students off into those small groups – was pretty high which I was excited about,” Nieto said.

Nieto also thought that students did well with the inquiry-based learning process at the heart of the Thought Series portion of the program.

John Lopez, who served as Educational Director for the CWSx 2 program, noted that small groups helped better connect students with the university representatives who advised them through the portion of the program focused on the college application process.

“The coaches that we had from the different universities really got a chance to spend time with a small group of CWSers throughout the first part of the program, and the way we did the college fair was we just had the coaches rotate, so each coach got to spend time with each team of students.. And all the students got to spend time with all of the coaches.”

Lopez also praised the students’ grasp of community equity building during some of the inquiry-based learning exercises they engaged in, including one in which they received a MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, which would give them $600,000 over five years, and had to determine what to do with the money.

“One of the groups put that money towards the development of scholarships. One of the groups put theirs towards establishing cultural programs in the community. They just had a very broad way to approach what to do with the money … it was intended to give them an IBL challenge that was built on an opportunity rather than a problem.”

Nicole Nieto, NHI’s executive vice president, remarked that both CWSx programs have a vital role in the organization’s approach to developing leaders.

“CWS is NHI’s capstone program, and people think of it as the college prep program, but it’s so much more. For our students, it’s a place to focus on the kind of leaders they’ll become as they embark on college studies, and to get to know college representatives who can coach them in that process. And with the inquiry-based learning component, it introduces students to a way of thinking, reasoning and problem-solving that they carry with them for the rest of their lives.”

“It’s also a place where university representatives and aspiring college students meet up in a team-building setting, build relationships, and come to a greater understanding of one another’s respective needs.. This particular year, CWS coaches benefitted by hearing real stories about what our students are going through and considering for their future during this pandemic.”

CWSx 1 Award Winners and Recognized Students included:

Major Leaguers

• Ashley Abrego, IDEA Quest College Preparatory, Edinburg, Texas
• Isabella Aldrete, Bishop Lynch High School, Dallas, Texas
• Roberto Blanco, IDEA San Juan College Preparatory, San Juan, Texas
• Valerie Chavez, La Joya High School, La Joya, Texas
• Paola DeLeon, IDEA Donna College Preparatory, Donna, Texas
• Joel Garcia-Peña, IDEA San Juan College Preparatory, San Juan, Texas
• Diana Garza, Lyford High School, Lyford, Texas
• Anjali Kota, Coppell High School, Coppell, Texas
• Miranda Llanes, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, San Antonio, Texas
• Bryant Luna, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, Brooklyn, New York
• Isabela MacClemmy, John F. Kennedy School, The American School of Querétaro, Querétaro, México
• Zoe Martin-Arriaga, Juarez-Lincoln High School, La Joya, Texas
• Daisy Mendez, Hoffman Estates High School, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
• Julianna Meza, Central High School, San Angelo, Texas
• Vanessa Morales, Lake Forest High School, Lake Forest, Illinois
• Danna Muñoz, IDEA McAllen College Preparatory, McAllen, Texas
• Azul Palacios, IDEA North Mission College Preparatory, Mission, Texas
• Jadrian Rodriguez, Cotulla High School, Cotulla, Texas
• Kristnee Romero, Cotulla High School, Cotulla, Texas
• Genoveva Regina Seidel, Cotulla High School, Cotulla, Texas
• Ariana Sifuentes, Eastwood Academy, Houston, Texas
• Roberto Violante, Liberty High School, Frisco, Texas
• Vincent Torres, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, Rolling Hills Estates, California
• Kailey Wilson, Thomas Jefferson T-STEM, Pharr, Texas
• Annel Wipachit, Hoffman Estates High School, Hoffman Estates, Illinois

The MVPs for each team were:

Roman Anzaldua (DePaul University), Raymondville Early College High School, Raymondville, Texas
Mariana Camacho (University of North Texas)
Valerie Chavez (McDaniel College), La Joya High School, La Joya, Texas
Paola De Leon (Vanderbilt University), IDEA Donna College Preparatory, Donna, Texas
Joel Garcia-Peña (Willamette University), IDEA San Juan College Preparatory, San Juan, Texas
Evan Martinez (Sewanee: The University of the South), Lincoln College Preparatory Academy
Vanessa Morales (St. Mary’s University), Lake Forest High School, Lake Forest, Illinois
Danna Muñoz (Macalester College), IDEA McAllen College Preparatory, McAllen, Texas
Joshua Rivera (Southwestern University), Smithson Valley High School, Spring Branch, Texas
Annel Wipachit (University of Pittsburgh), Hoffman Estates High School, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Isabella Zapata (The George Washington University), Palmview High School, Mission, Texas

CWSx 2 Award Winners and Recognized Students included:

Major Leaguers/MVPs

• Jesus Berlanga, Appoline Brossard, Memorial High School, Houston, Texas
• Teresa Castro, Colegio Americano de Torreón, Torreón, México
• Nathanael Lara, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, Texas
• Lauren Leija, Frank L. Madla Early College High School, San Antonio, Texas
• Martha Robledo, IDEA Frontier College Preparatory, Brownsville, Texas
• Lillien Salas, Grayslake North High School, Grayslake, Illinois
• Melissa Tariq Rodriguez, Glenda Dawson High School, City, Texas

And the winning team, representing the University of South Alabama, included:

• Jesus Berlanga, IDEA Frontier College Preparatory, Brownsville, Texas
• Helen Canales, Debakey High School for Health Professions, Houston, Texas
• Annie Meza, Westside High School, Houston, Texas
• Elena Rojas, Waxahachie High School, Waxahachie, Texas