FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 7, 2007

HACU Alumni Association participates in ‘Hands on DC’ volunteer event
By Oscar Oña

WASHINGTON, DC – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Alumni Association (HAA) recently participated in Hands on DC, by sponsoring Hendley Elementary School. The event took place April 28, 2007, in Washington, D.C.  Hands on DC is an annual volunteering event, aimed at improving conditions in the public school system. While at Hendley Elementary, HAA volunteers’ responsibilities included painting a classroom.

"This year, the school we adopted was located in an underserved neighborhood in Anacostia, DC. Knowing that we were making a difference in the lives of the children that lived in this community filled us with a strong sense of purpose and was ultimately our greatest reward." said Susie Saavedra, Chair of HAA.

As described in Hands on DC’s website (www.handsondc.org), Hands on DC is an all-volunteer project that creates better schools and brighter futures for students in the District of Columbia. Thousands of volunteers have a great time each spring as they join together for a one-day work-a-thon that improves conditions in the public schools and raises money for college scholarships. Since 1994 more than 26,000 volunteers have created a better environment for learning in over 120 schools and have collected more than $500,000 to help local students pay for further education.

The HACU Alumni Association participates each year in community volunteer activities, while also acting as role models and mentors to new interns.  “Giving back to our communities is one of the cornerstones of the HACU Alumni Association.  It is a motivating experience to be able to work together as a team and accomplish a goal that will have long lasting effects,” said Jezzika Lee Perez, a HAA board member who is President/CEO of her own accounting firm.

Hendley Elementary School Principal, Gina Lupino walked around the different areas where the volunteers were working.  “For me, her smile signified a triumph. I hope her happiness radiates to the children as they return to their classrooms.  Improving the environment in which the children attend school is very rewarding for us as volunteers”, said Kelvin Kercado, a HAA member that works for the Federal Aviation Administration in DC.

The HACU Alumni Association (HAA), which is made up of beneficiaries of HACU’s student programs that include HACU Scholarship Program, Student Ambassador Program and the nationally acclaimed HACU National Internship Program (HNIP), continues to grow, in both numbers and importance. The Chair of the HAA is now a voting member of the HACU Governing Board, ensuring that the interests of the HAA are incorporated into HACU’s long-term strategic goals. 

For more information about HACU Alumni Association, please visit www.hnip.net/alumni.

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