CLEVELAND — The word “Esperanza” means hope in Spanish – and a special edition of our We the People show airing at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6, will showcase how the Esperanza Inc. organization has brought hope to many Cleveland-area Hispanic and Latinx students.
During the show, which will air on 3News, you’ll hear from alumni of Esperanza, ranging from a bank vice president to a college administrator. They will all share stories of how the organization empowered them to achieve academic and professional success.
Another highlight is a surprise tribute to Victor Ruiz, the outgoing executive director and CEO of Esperanza Inc.
Ruiz, who thought he was coming to WKYC Studios for a single We the People segment, was greeted by family members, co-workers and mentees cheering for him as he entered our studio.
The Esperanza organization, which offers a number of support services for Latino students and their families, has notched some significant gains since Ruiz arrived 15 years ago.
When Ruiz took over at the organization’s helm, the graduation rate for Latino students in Cleveland public schools was only 30 percent. Today, Cleveland’s Latino high school graduation rate stands at approximately 82 percent.
For students participating in Esperanza’s programs, the results are even more striking. Their graduation rate is nearly 98 percent – higher than the state and national average for all graduating high school seniors.
During the show, Ruiz’s mentees talked about his impact in their lives. Each one presented Ruiz with a heartfelt gift, including a plaque that reads “Gracias por ser una parte tan importante en mi vida” – or “Thank you for being an important part of my life” in English.
The We the People special airs on the same day that that Esperanza hosts its signature fundraiser, the Fiesta of Hope. During the event, to be held at the Hotel Cleveland, 100 local college students will be recognized for being Esperanza scholarship recipients.
3News anchor Russ Mitchell co-hosted this special edition of We the People, along with Leon Bibb. Mitchell has emceed the annual Fiesta of Hope for over a decade.
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