Programs propel Hispanics' success

When Manuela Hernandez was a child, college "was one of thoseunreachable goals."

Hernandez, 22, of Chicago, now is a senior in education at theUniversity of Illinois at Chicago. And she's part of a 92 percentincrease in the number of Hispanic students enrolling in four-yearundergraduate and graduate programs in Illinois schools over the lastdecade.

Hernandez said she made it to where she is because of the EarlyOutreach support program, where she is a student coordinator of thementorship program.

Early Outreach provides Saturday morning classes eight months ayear in math, science and English. At least as important, Hernandezsaid, teachers of Latino descent …