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Boise State hosts event to encourage Latino opportunities
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Mirando Adelante, an event created to expose area high school students to the opportunities of higher education, was held on Oct. 12 at Boise State University. Around 575 students attended the event.
“Mirando Adelante is an annual event that has been in existence for over a decade,” Multi-Ethnic Enrollment Counselor Everardo Torrez said. “We want to celebrate [the student’s] talents.”
Boise State University student Matthew Olivas kicked off the event by singing “God Bless the U.S.A.” He was followed by speaker Patrick Perez.
Perez uses hip-hop and break dancing to speak a message of hope and perseverance to students that are facing obstacles. His father left his family when he was in seventh grade.
Perez said he remembers coming home and seeing his dad pack up his truck.
“He put his hand on my shoulder, and said, ‘Patrick, it’s not your fault,’” Perez said.
Perez tried turning to his friends, but they were all in gangs.
Perez said that sometimes the people around us talk down to the dreams we have.
Inviting two students on stage, one male and one female, he compared how wanting to date a person is like seeing your dream and wanting to go after it.
“You see your dream over there,” Perez said. “But you’re over here. You’re going to need help.”
Perez told the student to seek the counsel of advisors. He said he wouldn’t be where he is today without one of his friends that pushed him to dance and practice in the face of obstacles.
“Go after your dream. If you fail, you fail. Who cares,” Perez said.
Perez went on to express that friends are not the only people that can let you down.
“How many of you have ever let yourself down,” Perez said. “It hurts when you go after a dream and it doesn’t happen. You just have to get back up and look at how far you fell. Otherwise, the fear of failure will stop you.”
After Perez spoke, Boise State University student Antonio Ruiz Jr. took the stage and told his story of how he overcame obstacles to come to college.
“Now I’m armed with a great support group,” Ruiz said.
BSU students Melissa Lopez, Fernando Mejilla, Veronica Gallegos and Estureto Alonzo also spoke at the event.
“Their words really got into your mind,” Weiser high school junior Bertha Orozco said. “It’s really
inspiring.”
COLBY STREAM
News Writer