Some 11 years ago I chose the work at Centro in large part because of the strength of the youth programs. I understand that national data shows what we do at Centro matters for kids to grow bold, brave, kind, and to always be authentic. This summer, young people got to explore Calli for the first time. They continue to leave me with reflection, hope and a desire to always ensure how we partner with them centers them and centers their heart. 

Want to learn more? Meet Melody, one of our newest Becas scholarship recipients...she had some questions about how I felt about Mercadito's bold beginnings at Calli....

On July 27th, the "Becas" scholarship program took place in our beautiful plaza at Centro. The event was marked by heartfelt and emotional speeches from students, who shared their personal stories and aspirations. 



The Becas luncheon marks the beginning of a promising journey for future musicians, engineers, educators, and political scientists.

Thanks to Centro’s unwavering supporters from Grace Episcopal Church, Madison College and UW Madison, youth are on their way to achieving their dreams and making significant contributions.   

Here are some words by Becas recipient, Melody Durán Torres:

“I am here standing in front of you, speaking as a young women full of goals and dreams who wants to accomplish great things... I would like to contribute with my grain of salt to the community following the steps of Centro”.  

Escalera Internships

At Centro, summer is a time for adventures, but also empowerment of Latinx youth. The Escalera Internships have been taking place during the last 7 weeks. In this 2024 edition, 16 students went to different companies across Madison! For 12 hours a week, students had the opportunity to participate in Escalera workshops on college preparation, career awareness, and professional development. 



Here are some Escalera Internship highlights: 

Most students felt the Latinx strength of enjoying connecting with others and getting out of their comfort zone. Here are some examples:

Brandon and Ángeles had a great summer at MG&E overcoming their shyness and finding their comfort zone while socializing.

Leslie and Steph ran the first-ever Spanish workshop at Henry Vilas Zoo focusing on monarch butterflies conservation and they even got some coverage through Chanel 27.

Deybelin and Sherling put together some interesting presentations concerning disparities in research and practiced their skills in English.

Thank you to the following companies for being part of Escalera Internship Program: Forward Madison, WIDA, Henry Vilas Zoo, Dane County Parks, MG&E, UW Health, and Madison Children's Museum.