Chican@ Youth Conference Jan. 12 at Fresno State

“Educate Your Thinking” is the theme of the 35th annual Chican@ Youth Conference to be held Jan. 12, 2008, at California State University, Fresno.

Registration is 8-9 a.m. at the Satellite Student Union (2485 E. San Ramon Ave.). Workshops and activities continue until 6 p.m. throughout campus.

The free event for high school students is hosted by the Fresno State student organization, El Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlán (MEChA), University Outreach Services and the Chicano Latin American Studies Department.

Ralphy Avitia, a Fresno State alumnus and now an educator in Madera, will address the students.

Workshops provide students information about resources available at the college and community levels on social, cultural and political issues. An education fair will provide an opportunity for the students to learn about universities and community organizations throughout California.

“This will be a great opportunity to help our central San Joaquin Valley students educate their thinking to getting a college education in hopes of helping the community,” said Paz Justicia of MEChA.

One measure of the Chican@ Youth Conference’s success is that the chair of the first – 35 years ago – student Frances Pena, now is director of University Outreach Services at Fresno State.

For more information, e-mail mechadefresnostate@yahoo.com or call University Outreach Services at 559.278.2048.