LAWRENCE, Indiana — There's a growing need in the Latino community that has one central Indiana organization doing what they can to help.
"We have been serving the community for over 52 years in the areas of access to health and social services. We have domestic violence programs that helps women who are victims. We have comprehensive education programs for youth," said Mariana Lopez-Owens, director of education programs at La Plaza.
Lopez-Owens said many more resources and programs are available.
"A lot of students we see are first-generation, so the families who they come from, are oftentimes, the parents didn't graduate from high school," Lopez-Owens said.
But there is a program to help students succeed.
On Wednesday, students at Lawrence North High School were participating in the Tu Futuro program.
Students attend weekly two-hour afterschool workshops, monthly meetings and field trips.
"The purpose of the Tu Futuro program is to help students learn about and prepare for college, but also successfully navigate high school," Lopez-Owens said. "We see the same cohort of students every year. The program continues to serve Latino students, primarily low-income, first-generation students."
The program puts them on a path to success.
"There is a payoff at the end where students are more successful earning three, four, five times more than their parents ever did in that first job and being able to contribute five, 10 times fold," Lopez-Owens said.