Sessions for parents will include topics on technology, gang prevention, financial planning for college, and implications of recent changes in immigration laws in Georgia. Teachers will benefit from sessions on improving communication and connection with kids and parents of different cultures as well as the implications of changes in immigration laws on their students. Students will have tracks that are tailored to their age group. Topics will include technology sessions, gang prevention, a panel discussion led by experts in the college admissions process, and student panel discussions so they can ask questions of their peers that have already gone through the college application process or are about to do so. 

  All students are expected to dress appropriately for an educational environment. Any clothing that interferes with or disrupts the educational environment is unacceptable and prohibited. Students will be provided with Latino Youth Leadership Conference T-shirt, which must worn at all times.

 Click here for a schedule of the day.

 Click here for a campus map.

 Click here for directions to GA Tech.

Orlando Figueroa of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a child, Mr. Figueroa always had an interest in learning how mechanical toys functioned. During his elementary school years, he would spend most of his time building things and looking for solutions to problems. When he went to high school, he found himself captivated by the beginning of the space era and would gaze at the stars and moon to imagine what it would be like to travel into space.

Mr. Figueroa enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico and in 1978, he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Upon his graduation, he continued his studies and completed advanced courses in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland. In 1982, he joined NASA, where he still works today. He has held several positions, including Director of Mars Exploration, in which he led a team of hundreds of scientists, engineers and program specialists in one of the agency's most ambitious projects to determine if life ever existed on Mars.

Mr. Figueroa, who has won numerous awards and recognitions, loves to talk to young people to communicate his love for technology and his passion for education.

Luís Antonio Ramos is an actor who has been and starred in various film and television shows such as Do The Right Thing, Martin, New York Undercover, In The House, The Shield, and CSI Miami.

Born in Puerto Rico, Mr. Ramos was raised in the Bronx, New York where he came of age in a rough neighborhood. However, he was presented with an opportunity to leave the street life and move on to become a great character actor by attending the famous New York High School of Performing Arts, which is the school that the movie and TV show “Fame” was patterned after. Rather than going on to a grim future that a life on the streets often leads to, Mr. Ramos has been able to draw on his past as a reference that has enabled him to portray a variety of character types in his acting.

Today, Mr. Ramos serves as an inspiration to anyone who thinks they can't “make it.” A huge proponent of education as a way out and a way in, he is proof that anyone can make it if they work hard and study hard.

 Students that have participated in previous Latino Youth Leadership Conferences

 Students that express desire on participating in the Latino Youth Leadership Conference

 Students that have demonstrated leadership qualities at their school through academic, social/community involvement, artistic, and athletic activities.

 Students that have leadership potential if given the opportunity

 Non-Latino students that have contributed to the development of Latino students at your school

 The school’s designated contact person and parents may nominate students for participation. Parents, if you have asked your student’s school about the Conference and no contact person has been designated, you may call our office to nominate your student at 404-248-2214.

 Please click here to download a registration form. Follow the instructions on the spreadsheet to submit your school’s registration.

 Once schools have submitted a list of names, the LAA will send a packet of permission forms for parents to sign.  School contacts should collect these forms and return them to the LAA via mail or students themselves can send the form directly to the LAA office.  This permission form completes the student’s registration.  Students will not be allowed to participate if their signed permission forms are not on file.

 Any interested teachers are welcome to attend this event.  Please click here to download a registration form.  Follow the instructions on the spreadsheet to submit your registration.

 Upon submission of student registrations to the LAA, parents will receive a permission form by mail or from their child’s school.  Parents should indicate their interest in participating on this form.  They may submit the form to their school’s contact person. They may also fax or mail the form to the LAA, attention “Youth Conference Registration,” at 404-638-1806 or 2750 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30324.  Our staff will call to confirm that their registration has been received.

The LAA's youth conference began in 2000 at a local high school with 200 students and has since grown to a conference of over 1,100 students, 150 parents, 80 teachers, 220 volunteers, and 39 exhibitors that takes place at a college or university. Sponsors and exhibitors at the Latino Youth Leadership Conference are not only provided with an effective way to market their businesses and services to this growing market, but also an opportunity to make a difference in the lives, hopes, and dreams of Latino youth.

 Arrival time is 7:30 a.m. for set-up. There will be no opportunity for set-up the night before or any other time prior to the event.

 Parking is free of charge in the visitor (VO3) lot in front of the Student Center.

 Volunteers will be available to help with unloading in the morning. We suggest that all Exhibitors unload curbside and then park their vehicles so they do not have to carry heavy loads or materials across the parking lot. Also, we suggest Exhibitors bring their materials in easy to manage containers or luggage that can be rolled.

 Click here for a schedule of the day.

 Click here for a campus map.

 Click here for directions to GA Tech.

• Cristina Bermúdez, Chair of the Annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference, LAA
• Roger Trueba, Co-Chair of the Annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference, Delta Airlines
• Laureen Fredella, LAA
• Heidy Lough, LAA
• Janie McNair, LAA
• Scott Freeland, Max Media Design
• Mariana Piñango, LAA
• Hector Chaar, The Coca-Cola Company
• Jorge Breton, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Roger Roa, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Aishah Pacheco, Georgia Institute of Technology
• John Martínez, Alcatel-Lucent Technologies
• Francisco Luciano, Cox Communications
• Mauricio Guadamuz, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
• Carisa Hettich, LAA
• Jonathan Duarte, Volunteer
• Uriel Castañeda, Volunteer