[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 78 (Thursday, May 22, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E822-E823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING THE TELACU EDUCATION FOUNDATION ON THEIR 31ST ANNUAL 
                        BUILDING THE DREAM GALA

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 2014

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
TELACU Education Foundation, a non-profit organization based in my 40th 
Congressional District. The Foundation has been transforming 
educational outcomes for thousands of Latino students over more than 
three decades.
  TELACU, The East Los Angeles Community Union, is a pioneer in 
empowering and revitalizing communities in our great State of 
California and throughout our Nation. More than 30 years ago, in 
response to crisis-level dropout rates for Latino students in college, 
TELACU created the TELACU Education Foundation. Working in partnership 
with a vast network of colleges, universities, corporations, and 
individuals, the TELACU Education Foundation has awarded millions of 
dollars in scholarships to thousands of deserving students.
  As the centerpiece of the Foundation, the College Success Program 
annually provides scholarships to 500 college and graduate students who 
are the first in their families to access higher education. Realizing 
that financial resources alone cannot fully meet these students' needs, 
the program provides these scholars with comprehensive academic and 
career guidance to ensure that they graduate.
  The Foundation also serves an additional 1,600 middle and high school 
students, nursing school students, and veterans. Through comprehensive 
educational programs, these scholars are not only inspired to pursue 
higher education, but are also equipped to meet the

[[Page E823]]

rigorous expectations of college. As a result, 99% of TELACU's high 
school students have earned their high school diplomas and continued on 
to pursue post-secondary education, and 99% of TELACU college students 
have earned, at minimum, a bachelor's degree.
  TELACU Scholars are recruited from the poorest neighborhoods in 
Southern California, Chicago, Texas, and New York. In many of these 
neighborhoods, young African Americans and Latinos are more likely to 
be arrested by their 18th birthday than to graduate high school. Yet 
year after year, TELACU Scholars have proven that it doesn't matter 
where you were born, what the color of your skin is, or what language 
you speak at home--if you study and work hard, you can become anything 
you want to be in our great United States of America.
  And hard work is what TELACU Scholars are all about. Scholars like 
Priscila Papias leverage all the resources provided by the TELACU 
Education Foundation to advance not only themselves and their 
educations, but their communities as well. As part of the Foundation's 
internship program, Priscila partnered with local universities, food 
banks, and farmer's markets to help provide regular nutritional 
screenings and high-quality nutritional care for residents of TELACU's 
senior housing complexes. I thank Priscila Papias and all of her fellow 
TELACU Scholars for their hard work and contributions to our 
communities.
  Mr. Speaker, in recognition of the thousands of students they have 
served, empowered, and advanced to achieve self-sufficiency, I ask my 
colleagues to please join me in recognizing David and Priscila 
Lizaarraga for their exemplary leadership and commendable efforts to 
support our young people and our communities, and wish them and the 
TELACU Education Foundation many years of continued success ahead.

                          ____________________