Every year, La Chispa is hosted at Cavelero Mid High School, where students grades 6-12 get to interact with each other and motivate each other. The event brings together the Latino community, fostering connections and cultural pride. The Lake Stevens School District offers the opportunity to Lake Stevens Middle School, North Lake Middle School, Cavelero Mid-High, and Lake Stevens High School to participate in this annual event called “La Chispa,” which translates to “The Spark.”
Junior Miranda Lopez found out about La Chispa from counselor Tzel Hernandez. Despite not having prior experience with La Chispa, Lopez was one of the juniors who led and set an example for her group.
”It helped me connect with the middle school students. It also made me feel like I was an example. And what high school is and everything,” Lopez said. She would participate again and appreciated the welcoming atmosphere and how the students were outgoing.
For many of the students, this was their first time attending La Chispa. Previous participants or those who have heard of this event say La Chispa leaves them with a special message. Each participant leaves with a better understanding of their cultural roots and why they belong in the Latino community.
Sophomore Ava Perez participated in the La Chispa event for the first time after hearing about it through the announcements. Despite not being able to attend the previous year, Perez was motivated to volunteer as a leader to influence younger students from the middle schools. The event met her expectations, with activities that promote teamwork and inclusivity. A highlight for Ava was the leaders sharing their post-high school goals.
“What stood out to me was when all the leaders said their goals after high school. It was pretty impactful, not just for us but influential also for the middle schoolers and the Cavelero kids. Just because it kind of stuck out to me, how much potential we have, you know coming all together,” Perez said.
La Chispa encourages students to find and build their self-confidence, increasing their academic success, and strengthening their cultural identity. It gives the opportunity for students to spend the whole day and participate in fun activities that focus on who they are, what they are capable of doing, and how to get there. Events like this are vital in ensuring the Latino community is empowered to overcome challenges and embrace higher education opportunities.
Education within the Latino community is often overlooked due to the lack of access or challenges Latinos face. Studies have shown that only about 48% of Latinos plan to attend college, according to the Pew Research Center.
This year, about 63 Lake Stevens High School students signed up to participate in La Chispa. All of the seniors who attended were able to be mentors during the activities along with a couple of juniors and sophomores. The rest of the high school students helped with the middle schoolers within assigned groups.
As the students came together in the Main Gym of Cavelero Mid-High, they started by introducing the guest speaker Vincent Perez, founder of La Cimathe Sigma Bilingual Leadership Camp.
Senior Daisy Ayuso Cabrera, the president of M.E.Ch.A., was a second-year mentor and also a returning participant from middle school. Ayuso had to take on not only the role of a mentor but an organizer as well. This meant being in charge of pushing students to sign up and keeping everything running smoothly. Ayuso had different motives because she was one of the few students who participated years ago as a student. Ayuso had gained a different viewpoint when it came to La Chispa. She explained that when she was experiencing La Chispa for the first time, she felt heard and connected with the mentors at the time. This inspired her to make sure La Chispa was executed perfectly to ensure her younger siblings were able to have the same experience.
Throughout the day, mentors welcomed the younger students to open up by introducing themselves and what goals they have set and how they plan to execute them. After introducing themselves, students split up into smaller groups where their mentors shared the ups and downs of their high school experience and showed them how to overcome these obstacles and move forward with higher education.
Additionally, mentors led their groups in different activities that build trust within their group and also build teamwork skills. Mentors were also vulnerable with these younger students, often sharing their family’s education history and where they are now. This provided a safe space for the younger students, allowing them to open up and realize that many students their age are in the same situation.
The activities were meant for participants to get to know each other and share some of their life stories. In the activities, the mentors would share first to get it going and as an example of the things they could say. Afterward, the students would share their part, and as the day went on, they became more comfortable with sharing their life stories.
Ultimately, La Chispa will return in November of 2025. A majority of the mentors will be graduating, but many juniors were used as assistants and will be able to take over next year. Perez plans to participate again and suggested hosting La Chispa at the high school, believing it would enhance the experience as a mentor. She encourages others to give La Chispa a chance.
Any further interest or questions can be answered by reaching out to Advisors Tzel Hernandez and Dr. Monica Meadows.
