Hispanic Symposium C-5 tour

  • Published
  • By Maj. Wilson Camelo
  • 439 AW/PA
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. -- --  Westover hosted nearly 130 students from four area high schools during the second annual Hispanic Youth Leadership Symposium Apr. 29. The symposium is an outreach event developed to better connect Westover with the growing Hispanic population in the area. 

This year's event built on the success and lessons learned from last year's, when nearly 80 students attended. One change was to provide workshops and tours of different functional areas so the youth would get a sense of the different career paths they could pursue if they stay in school. 

The students were divided into 6 groups and visited maintenance, security forces, the flying squadrons, medical, public affairs/wing headquarters and the fire department.
"The importance of education and leadership were the key messages we wanted the participants to leave with," said Master Sgt. Luisa Cabana, the event's organizer and Knowledge Operations Manager with the 439th Maintenance Operations Squadron. "We had many of Westover's Hispanic reservists participate to serve as positive role models for the youth. We also had a 40-member planning support team from various units on base that made this event such a success." 

The group then went to the wing conference center where base representatives from the six areas visited asked trivia questions about visited areas for giveaways. A fleet of school buses then brought the students to the pavilion area near the base exchange to eat Puerto Rican food catered by Fernandez Restaurant of Holyoke. Two local businesses -- Health New England and NewAlliance Bank -- donated the funds for the food. 

The participants toured a C-5 tour immediately after lunch. 

"What really got my attention is how they are trying to get the Hispanic community to come out as one," said Anthony Rodriguez from Putnam High School. "They told us we should live out our dreams." 

The Human Resource Development Council sponsored the symposium as an outreach event. In addition to unit support the Chiefs Council, First Sergeants Association, Top 3, Rising Six and the Air Force Association all contributed with financial or manpower support.

"The students' level of enthusiasm grew throughout the day, and they really connected with their mentors," Sergeant Cabana added. "Many of their questions had more to do about personal experiences than specific to the area they were visiting. Before leaving, many eagerly lined up to take pictures with some of the reservists they befriended during the day."