The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, also known as The Hispanic National Association of Evangelicals, appointed Gus Reyes as chairman of its educational directive.
Reyes serves as the director of Hispanic Education Initiative/Affinity Ministries with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He will continue ministering that role.
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Gus Reyes
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“It is one of my passions in life to develop strategies to encourage Hispanic students to reach their educational goals,” Reyes said. “These strategies impact and integrate relationships between students, parents, pastors and church as well as community leaders,” explained Reyes, author of 100 Stories of Hope.
“This resource encourages students to trust God for help in overcoming educational obstacles.”
Research indicates Hispanic students make up 38.6 percent of college dropouts in the United States, although they represent only 15.1 percent of the total population. In addition, just one Hispanic high school dropout in 10 has a General Educational Development credential, widely regarded as the best “second chance” pathway to college and vocational training for adults who have not graduated from high school.
More than 40 percent of Hispanics ages 20 and older in the United States do not have a high school diploma.
“The most urgent challenge for the American educational system has a Hispanic face. Hispanics are the largest and most rapidly growing ethnic minority in the country, but academically they are lagging dangerously behind,” explained Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
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