Latinas/Latinos al Éxito translated means Latinos to Success. Al Éxito is a statewide organizations that empowers Latinos youth to succeed in life and Iowa by providing programs that builds their leadership potential through college preparation, career development, civic engagement, family support, and celebration of culture.

Latinas Al Exito was initiated by American Association of University Women-Iowa’s Diversity and Equity Committee in 2005. The program grew out of the need to support Latinas in developing a roadmap for higher education and to expose them to college and campus life. The program has grown to several communities in Iowa and now includes boys and parents.

Through funding provided by Legacy’s Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund, Al Éxito initiated a program in Ottumwa for Latino middle school participants to ensure that they have the skills and inspiration to be academically successful in the present and future. In the second year the program expanded to include high school students under the leadership of Latino community members.

Al Éxito is very excited to continue expansion of the program in 2015-16 school year under new leadership, with Alexandria Coble-Frakes. Alyx is the coordinator for two weekly afterschool programs at the high school and middle school.

Al Éxito Afterschool Ottumwa provides culturally relevant, asset-based curriculum to Evans Middle School weekly, as well as tutoring sessions.

Movimiento Al Éxito Ottumwa provides the next generation of Ottumwa leaders an opportunity to discover their potential, find and engage their voice, while providing the skills needed to create meaningful community change in a mutually-respected, interactive space. Students engage in research-based strategies to investigate their community from a personal and public perspective. Movimiento interweaves three strategies to create a comprehensive, authentic, and interactive learning experience; 1) research/ data analysis; 2) leadership through civic engagement; 3) entrepreneurial/ product development.  Movimiento is a collaborative project between Al Éxito (AÉ) and Iowa State University Multicultural and International Curriculum Studies professors Julio Cammarota, Jennifer Farley.

For more information about Al Éxito, log on to:  https://alexitoiowa.org/.