Beating the Odds: Successful Stories of "At-Risk" Latina/o Students in a New Hispanic Magnet State

• In Event: 41.084 - Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: 41.084-18 - Adolescent Relationships as the Basis for Problem Solving and Civic Engagement

Abstract

Framed by the social capital theory (e.g., Lin, 2001) and Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological theory, this case-based qualitative study focuses on outlier stories: two Latino/a students who grew up with various “risk” factors in rural Georgia (e.g., low socioeconomic households, low parent education), but successfully graduated from high school and were admitted to a competitive college. This study investigates how ecological systems influenced academic outcomes of participants, and analyzes interactions between their development and the multiple environments in which it occurred. It also uncovers social capital that participants employed to gain college access. Data were collected from interviews, scholarship essays, and field notes of site visits. The findings inform current teaching practices and policy regarding Latino immigrant education in K-12 schools.

Author

• Chang Pu, Berry College