Cesar Chavez Elementary 5th graders Ryan Lopez and Anthony Barriero were winners of the Seaperch Underwater Robotics competition giving them the opportunity to test their robotic rover at NASA.

They will attend a two day workshop, at NASA, to test their underwater rover in the astronaut training pool at JBL in Houston.

According to local crime statistics, 506 people were murdered last year, which is up from 433 in 2011. And although this month the Chicago Police Department released figures indicating a 42 percent decline in the number of murders in the city in the first four months of 2013, many still live in fear.  Organizations throughout the city are working hard to reduce violence among young people.

“I don’t know if it’s a fact that youth violence is increasing. CPS [Chicago Public Schools] has been aggregating data and violence in general has been decreasing, but Chicago is doing worse in comparison to other big cities. The rate of youth violence is still unacceptable,” says Michael D. Rodriguez, Executive Director of Enlace Chicago.

RELATED: Parents, kids come together for gun violence forum in Miami

Rodriguez says his organization’s approach to addressing youth violence is very comprehensive. Through prevention, intervention, and policy and systems change, Enlace aims to reduce crime in Little Village, a predominately Mexican neighborhood in Chicago. Rodriguez says that as a result of community work, murders in Little Village over the last few years have gone down. This year, they are on track to have fewer than 12 murders. “The numbers are looking better, but we still have a long way to go,” he says.

Enlace tries to offer positive adult engagement and activities such as sports, tutoring, and art, Rodriguez says. They also provide mentorship and mental health support. Currently, the organization works very intensely in eight Little Village Schools and to a lesser extent in four or five others.

According to Rodriguez, the organization sees many success stories. “There was a young man involved in gangs. He used to hold guns on the corner,” Rodriguez says. “He had a mentor from our program who helped him get out of the gang, get a GED, and attend community college.”

RELATED: Chicago’s decision to close 54 schools elicits strong reactions

Last month, another local organization, the Shambhala Meditation Center of Chicago, hosted the Youth Congress on Peace, which they describe as “an opportunity to positively engage a diverse group in dialogue around how we can employ the Shambhala principle of basic goodness to address the societal issue of violence—and youth violence in particular.”

Buddhist spiritual leader Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle participated in the conference. The program included poetry, mindfulness practices, small breakout discussion, and performances by the Goodman Theater. They also discussed the possible solutions to reducing crime. About 150 young people were in attendance.

“Last fall, the leader of our organization wanted to come to Chicago to engage in a community issue. Teen violence was a pressing issue, and not knowing anything about it, we wanted to engage with partners who were involved in that,” says Tom Adducci, Center Director of the Shambhala Meditation Center of Chicago.

The center reached out to a number of organizations in Chicago including Latinos Progresando, CeaseFire, Enlace Chicago, and many others. “Different organizations who are working on this had never even talked to each other, so we were able to come together and form partnerships.”

Adducci says that they received great feedback from many young people who attended the conference. “They appreciated being heard and being listened to rather than being talked at,” he says.

Because of the success of the conference, Adducci says the center intends to have ongoing relationships with the other organizations. They’re currently considering forming meditation workshops in the future.

“This is just a starting point, a way of having a conversation,” Adducci says.

Erika L. Sánchez is a poet and freelance writer living in Chicago. She is currently the sex and love advice columnist for Cosmopolitan for Latinas and a contributor for The Huffington Post and other publications. Her poetry has appeared in Pleiades, Witness, Hunger Mountain, Crab Orchard Review, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Copper Nickel, and many others. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, or www.erikalsanchez.com

This also happens at the beginning of the school year and during the holidays as parents take their children out of classes for long family trips. But I can tell you from first-hand experience that there’s nothing worse than getting through the post-spring break blahs and pushing hard to end the year strong, only to have students drop like flies before you reach the finish line.

Understand that I’m not talking about children of farmworkers whose families follow the harvest. I turn your attention to students of families who are financially stable enough to travel for pleasure — or at least can afford it when the need arises — and can do so legally.

When I last surveyed administrators in the Chicago Public Schools system in 2007, they said that although the Hispanic attendance as students returned from Christmas vacation was still bad, it was improving. An unfortunate combination of increased violence in Latin America and intense border security crackdowns had bolstered their own targeted outreach to parents about the importance of keeping students in class throughout the entire year.

Indeed, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage of eighth-grade Hispanic students who reported missing three or more days of school in the previous month decreased significantly from 1994 to 2011 (from 27 percent in 1994, to 21 percent in 2011). And attendance among Hispanic fourth-grade students in these groups remained stable from 1994 to 2011.

RELATED: Research shows Latino students have high exposure to unhealthy snacks at school

These numbers don’t indicate whether the absenteeism is clustered around the first and last weeks of school or vacations. Nor am I trying to imply that non-Hispanic students don’t also miss school as well. But note that the highest performers in schools today, Asian and white students, also happen to have the lowest absenteeism rates. In 2011, only 11 percent of eighth-grade Asian/Pacific Islanders and 18 percent of white students reported missing three or more days of school in the previous month.

Still, the sheer number of Latino students in public schools — one out of every four elementary school students — and their distinctive pull toward extended family, not to mention high dropout rates, demand that these types of absences get more investigation.

Based on what I’m hearing and seeing, it’s now the students of families who have the proper papers to move freely between two countries who are most likely to skim a few days off school here and there. But while those numbers may be smaller than in the past, the stakes are higher. Many schools now have strict policies regarding such absences, which take them from the level of annoyance to a real opportunity for failure.

In my majority-Hispanic school district, the policy is clear and tough: “Vacations during the school year are not a valid cause for an absence and will be considered unexcused. Students will be disciplined for unexcused absences.” And, yes, students fail courses when they miss finals.

Strangely, the whole issue is largely taboo. Of the many teachers I’ve talked to about their experiences with Hispanic student attendance, none wanted to be named for fear of being labeled as culturally insensitive.

One educator, who is himself Hispanic and works mainly with Latino students, told me, “From a cultural perspective, I have too many parents disregard school with ease if it does not fit into their holiday plans. Students are always most successful when parents support their kids academically. I realize this is obvious, but if a kid misses on finals or school for an extended period of time, that is the opposite of supporting your kids academically.”

Daniel King, superintendent of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District near the Texas border with Mexico, verified that he’s seen a drop in such absences at his schools since border security was tightened. But he was unsure what would happen if immigration reform gave those living here illegally a Registered Provisional Immigrant status that would allow them to easily travel outside the U.S.

“I hadn’t really thought of that to be honest with you, but I can see where that might make it more of an issue,” he told me.

Trust me, it’ll be an issue — so let’s start talking about it.

Esther Cepeda is a syndicated columnist and an NBC Latino Contributor.

The new Salud America! “Healthier School Snacks & Latino Kids” research materials start off with an in-depth review and summary of the latest science on school snacks and drinks and policy implications based on that research.

This is the first of six new research material packages to be released over the summer by Salud America!, each of which will focus on a specific topic on Latino childhood obesity and highlight the issue, policy implications and future research areas.

The “Healthier School Snacks & Latino Kids” package highlights the fact that young people consume a high proportion of their daily calories at school, which means it is important to consider the types of foods and drinks available in schools, along with the impact those items can have on students’ diets.

This research shows that access to unhealthy snack foods and beverages in schools has a disproportionately negative health influence among Latino students. Schools with a higher proportion of Latino students also tend to have weaker policies regarding access to and nutritional values of these items.

By 2050, 35 percent of young people in the U.S. will be Latino, so providing healthier school snacks and drinks can help make sure this growing population is healthy.

The six research packages examine several key topics related to childhood obesity, with a particular focus on how each impacts the Latino community:

• healthier school snacks (May 2013);
• better food in the neighborhood (June 2013);
• active play (June 2013);
• active spaces (July 2013);
• healthier marketing (July 2013), and
• sugary drinks (August 2013)

Each topic’s package contains: a research review, an assessment of all available scientific evidence on the topic; an issue brief, a short summary of the research review; an animated video narrated by Latino children; and an infographic, a visual summary of the topic.

We hope researchers, decision-makers, community leaders, school officials, parents and even children can use these research materials to learn about the problems related to Latino childhood obesity, and what can be done about them.

Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, directs the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, which researches Latino health issues and founded the SaludToday Latino health blog, Twitter and Facebook. Dr. Ramirez, an internationally recognized cancer health disparities researcher, has spent 30 years directing research on human and organizational communication to reduce chronic disease and cancer health disparities affecting Latinos, including cancer risk factors, clinical trial recruitment, tobacco prevention, obesity prevention, healthy lifestyles, and more. She also trains/mentors Latinos in behavioral sciences and is on the board of directors for LIVESTRONG, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and others.

“Since 1980 Hispanics were less likely to pursue college compared to whites, until this year, where it seems the gap has narrowed, and the number of Hispanic high school students who are college-bound is the highest it’s been in 30 years,” explains Richard Fry, the lead author of the Pew Hispanic Research Center study.

The study points to the recession in 2008 as a possible cause for the rise in Latino college enrollment.  Simply put, Hispanic teens enrolled in college because of the bleak job market, says the report.  Since 2007, unemployment among Latinos ages 16-24 has gone up 7 percent, compared to 5 percent among white youth. Fry says white high school students  lived in areas where jobs were possibly more readily available, and chose getting a job over college. This could explain why their college-bound rates in 2012 declined slightly.

Another reason why Hispanics are increasingly enrolling in college, says Fry, is because of the importance that Latino families place on a college education.

“The wider Latino community understands the importance of education for the future of  education when it comes to advancing future generations,” explains Fry, pointing to recent studies by the Pew Hispanic Center showing 88 percent of Latinos agree that a college degree is necessary to get ahead in life.

The result of the study is part of a larger positive trend when it comes to Hispanics and education.  The high school dropout rate for Hispanic 16-24 year-olds was at 14 percent in 2011, half the level of 2000 at 28 percent. Despite these gains, Hispanic students are still lagging behind other groups when it comes to college completion.  Fifty-six percent of Hispanics enroll in a four-year college, compared to 72 percent of whites, for example.

The one issue Fry says we should not ignore is that Hispanics and whites are not going to the same kinds of colleges.  ”Latino high school graduates are more likely to go to community colleges, and whites to private four-year colleges,” adds Fry.

An issue still remains; while more Hispanics are college-bound, the completion rates are still lagging compared to other groups, meaning it is not enough to attend college if Hispanic students are not graduating from college.

“This is a good indicator, but there is still an educational gap,” concludes Fry.

When asked if after high school participants would prefer their child to secure a full-time job or go to college, and 85 percent chose college over the job.

The poll found that Latino Texans are deeply connected with their local schools and over 67 percent are aware of the $5 billion 2011 budget cuts on public schools.  Not only are Latino Texan parents well-informed, but families are very engaged by volunteering and helping to fund-raise for their local school events.  Eighty-two percent attend school events, board meetings, school plays and football games, bringing the people together for civic participation.

Since the Latino population is much younger (26) than the non-Hispanic white Texan population (41), 77 percent have children previously or currently enrolled in public schools. The connection to the schools goes even deeper, with 40 percent reporting they have close family or friend who work in the district. Essentially, the poll shows parents are entrenched and their lives revolve around the school system.

Politicians beware, says the survey, when it comes to education and Latinos.  The authors claim three incumbent Republican legislators lost their seats to Latino Democratic challengers when they issue of school budget cuts became a defining campaign issue.  Latino Decisions interviewed 400 Latino adults from El Paso, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley from March 14-24, 2013.

Despite lawfully being able to receive a free public school education from kindergarten through high school, regardless of residency or citizenship status, undocumented students’ futures beyond twelfth grade are uncertain.  An estimated 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools each year, but just 7.5% of these students continue on to college.  Most of these students are unable to pursue a college degree due to financial and legal barriers.

Getting Into College

Undocumented students are legally eligible to attend most public and private universities in the United States.  Federal law does not prohibit undocumented students from attending U.S. colleges, but some states have laws that prohibit students from attending public institutions.  South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia have banned undocumented students from attending public universities and colleges.

Even when legally eligible, it may be more difficult for undocumented students to get accepted into college.  Most private schools count undocumented students as international applicants throughout the admissions process.  However, this process is often need-blind, and undocumented students will be competing with international students who may have a better ability to fund four years of private college tuition.

In addition, undocumented students may not even apply to college because of the risk of exposing their immigration status.  Many undocumented families are wary of revealing their immigration status to college admissions offices; this problem persists even though the Federal Education and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of students records, protecting those at public and private institutions alike.  If an undocumented student lies, however, they may have their admission denied or revoked.

Paying for College

The College Board has estimated that the average overall cost of education at an in-state public college in 2012 is $22,261 per year, and the cost of a four-year private school is $42,289 per year. Additionally, university-filled cities like Boston, New York and Los Angeles are much more expensive in general for students than smaller cities, according to a cost of living calculator.

Although many students receive grants and scholarships, putting the average net price of private college at $27,600 per year, undocumented students are not eligible for many of these financial awards that other students can receive.  Undocumented students are ineligible for federal financial aid and most state-based financial aid, including grants, work-study programs and federal loan programs.  Some private scholarships are available to undocumented students, and a few schools (such as Berkeley) have funds earmarked specifically for undocumented students, but financial resources for undocumented students are difficult to obtain.

Several states allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland (only for community colleges), Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.  The specific laws vary, but most states require undocumented students to have lived in the state for at least three years.  On the other end of the spectrum, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Indiana have completely banned undocumented students from receiving in-state tuition.

College admissions and financial aid applications can be a barrier to undocumented students as well as students with undocumented parents.  Even though undocumented students cannot access federal financial aid funds, many universities require that all students applying for aid fill out the FAFSA, and these schools determine aid packages by using FAFSA’s expected family contribution number (EFC).  Many undocumented students and parents are afraid of putting their information into the federal government’s hands and consequently do not apply for aid at all.

What can undocumented students do?

As the American family unit evolves, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that all students are able to apply for financial aid, regardless of their family situation, citizenship status or financial resources.  First-year college students who apply for financial aid are 72% more likely to stay in school than those who are eligible but do not apply.  Fortunately, there are resources available to assist students with this critical process. For example, a new FAFSA Guide by website NerdScholar helps students with nontraditional families navigate the FAFSA process. This guide includes step-by-step instructions for undocumented immigrants as well as documented students with undocumented parents.

Divya Raghavan is an analyst for NerdWallet, a consumer-friendly financial literacy website that offers unbiased resources and advice to help consumers apply to college, navigate their personal finances and find the best CD rates.

Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Monday with vocational students in mind.

“And we should all be proud of how this will help Florida children get jobs when they finish their education,” the governor said at a signing ceremony in Tallahassee.

Under the new law, students will still strive for a diploma. But there will be two types: one stamped scholar, for kids pursuing a four-year college education, and one stamped professional, for those who are on a vocational path.

“We did not sacrifice rigor, we did not sacrifice relevance, we are providing for both college and career readiness,” said Miami-Dade Superintendent of Schools Alberto Carvalho, who lobbied for the bill.

The principal at Westland Hialeah Senior High School, Guillermo Munoz, also supports the change.

“I don’t believe that we’re lowering expectations in any way,” Munoz said. “I think we’re always gonna set high expectations for our students and always make them aware that the more degrees of education they have, the more options they’ll have before them.”

Starting next year, students who opt for the vocational path will be able to graduate without taking algebra II and chemistry. They’ll take courses in fields that interest them, everything from auto mechanics to information technology and nursing.

“One of the things we’ve done in this country over the past decades is demonize the value of career technical education,” Carvalho said. “A career technical education that leads to employment is equally valuable to academic pursuits.”

Education experts say the two-tiered diploma system might have another benefit as well: keeping kids who are at risk from dropping out of school.

“Those students who may be at risk sometimes find themselves at risk because they feel that what we have to offer and what we’ve had to offer for all this time may not be what fits them best, and I do feel that having more options is gonna help those students particularly,” Munoz said.

The basic idea, Munoz said, is to provide a pathway for a meaningful diploma for students who might not be able to obtain a traditional one.

Anthony Sanchez, 18, is a senior at Sinton High School; the track athlete says this is one of the biggest hurdles he’s overcome.

“This is it, then I opened it up and then there it was the letter saying that I got accepted,” Sanchez said.

Back in January, Sanchez applied for the Gates Millennium Scholarship, along with 54,000 other students nationwide. He says 4 long months passed by before he got the news.

He says he was overwhelmed and had to make a call to the first person that came to mind.

“I called coach Whitehead from Trinity University telling him I got the scholarship, he was really excited,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez says it’s been his dream to continue his education while staying out on the track, and he had one college in mind for first choice.

“Trinity is a very expensive school and basically my parents said if I want to go I have to make it happen,” he added.

He says because Trinity University is a private school the tuition is costly, but with this scholarship Sanchez or his parents likely won’t need to pay a dime out of pocket.

“They are relieved they don’t have to pay for tuition,” Sanchez laughed.

He says his “X” factor that helped him shine brighter than every other applicant was his interest in overall education.

“There’s a term and it’s called Renaissance man and it’s the ability to do anything and to learn anything and want to do everything, I just like to do everything, recently I picked up welding, I do track and field, football, basketball, sometimes mess around with debate, I’m in band, mariachi band, jazz band, I just wanted to do everything,” Sanchez said.

He will move to San Antonio and enroll in school this fall and plans to study History and International Business.

Sanchez was one of three students in the region to receive this scholarship. His best friend from Odem High School in Texas was also awarded the scholarship and will attend the Universty of Texas.