Six days of inspiration for future leaders

Luz Lopez was only 5 years old when she and her family immigrated to the United States from Mexico, and at the time, everything seemed foreign. There was a bounty of things that she would have to acclimate to as she grew up in a new country, but perhaps one of the most daunting concepts was one of the most widely embraced institutions in the U.S.: the American college system.

“No one in my family had the aspiration to go to school,” said the Ventura County resident, now 20, “and it was difficult to find guidance.”

“Today, I’m the first person going to a university in my family, and camp is what kind of got me motivated to do that,” Lopez said. “When I learned about the education system in the States and what it took to get to college -- all the prerequisites and things -- I really wanted to get started.”

Lopez is referring to the Latino Youth Leadership Camp she first attended at age 15 -- a program sponsored by Future Leaders of America. The organization provides leadership training for Latino youth in hopes of inspiring them to have an effect on society as adults.

The group will hold its annual six-day program this year at Camp Mile High in the San Bernardino Mountains, where 80 students in eighth and ninth grades will arrive in August.

Though most of each day is devoted to presentations and goal-setting sessions, campers are also able to toss a ball around or relax with friends during a recreation period.

“This year, [Los Angeles City Council member] Tony Cardenas will come to talk about what makes a good leader,” says Oscar Guzman, the Leadership Camp coordinator. “We have these leaders in the community come to inspire the kids so they have role models in front of them, and they start to think, ‘Hey, maybe one day I can be in that person’s position.’ ”

“I think what most impacted me was the statistics of people in college that are Latino,” Lopez recalled. “The executive director told a room of, like, a hundred kids to all stand up and then made more than three-fourths of the room sit down. And he was like, ‘This is how many Latinos are actually in college right now.’ I didn’t want to be one of the many left out.”

“Hopefully, I’ll graduate and teach American history and Spanish,” said Lopez, who is now in her third year at Cal State Channel Islands. “And camp taught me that if I stick with it, I can be a successful person.”

Future Leaders of America Inc. is one of 60 organizations receiving financial support this year through the Los Angeles Times Summer Camp Campaign. More than 8,000 underprivileged children will go to camp this summer, thanks to $1.5 million raised last year.

The annual fundraising campaign is part of the Los Angeles Times Family Fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, which this year will match the first $1.1 million in contributions at 50 cents on the dollar.

Donations are tax-deductible. For more information, call (213) 237-5771. To make donations by credit card, go to latimes .com/summercamp. To send checks, use the attached coupon. Do not send cash.

Unless requested otherwise, gifts of $50 or more will be acknowledged in The Times.

amy.kaufman@latimes.com