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A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY 10, 2006 AS "ENLACE DAY".

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico is committed to

providing access to quality education for all New Mexico

students from pre-kindergarten to higher education; and

WHEREAS, Latinos and Hispanics comprise fifty-three

percent of New Mexico's K-12 student population and nearly

fifty percent of the student body at New Mexico colleges and

universities; and

WHEREAS, a high Latino and Hispanic student high school

dropout rate of forty-four percent and an average

undergraduate non-completion rate of fifty percent results in

an achievement gap and considerable economic and social costs

to the state; and

WHEREAS, over the past four years, Engaging Latino

Communities for Education (ENLACE) New Mexico has established

community partnerships, including institutions in the

education pathway in law and medicine; and

WHEREAS, ENLACE New Mexico believes in inclusivity; that

a Latino-focused educational initiative will create a

world-class educational system for all students; and

WHEREAS, remaining responsive and responsible to

students, parents and communities is imperative to students'

educational success; and

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WHEREAS, the work of ENLACE recognizes, validates and

embraces the core cultural values of its stakeholders, the

strength of familia, the bonds of comunidad, and the

mutuality of respeto; and

WHEREAS, bottom-up change is needed in this state with

students, parents and communities themselves defining the

programmatic and policy issues necessary to effect systemic

change; and

WHEREAS, elected officials throughout the state have

united in a bipartisan effort to support the continuation and

expansion of the ENLACE New Mexico mission;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that February 10, 2006 be recognized as

"ENLACE Day"; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to local chapters of ENLACE statewide.