Leslie Elizalde

Leslie Elizalde graduated from Storm Lake High School and is currently attending school at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. She has always been active in sports and clubs during her high school years including Cross Country, Cheerleading, Soccer,Student Council, Choir, International Club, Key Club, ACE, and FACS.  She has mantained honor roll through out her high school years and is a member of the National Honor Society.She is a first generation high school student in her family to attend a four year university. She plans to major in Business or Social Work.

Diana Andrews

I was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia.  I am the youngest of five kids; I have 3 brothers and 1 sister.  I came to live in Des Moines, Iowa in 1994, to learn the language.  I went to Hoover High School from where I graduated in 1995, after graduating, I went back to Colombia where I attended La Escuela Colombiana de Rehabilitación and received my degree as a Physical Therapist in 2001.  Since my first visit to Iowa, I have always been traveling back and forth as I have some of my siblings here, and we will get together for holidays and special occasions.  After graduating from college, I moved to New Mexico, where I lived for a year, and decided to come back to Iowa.  I have been living in Des Moines, since 2002, I love this city, as it has giving me many, many happiness, in which I count my wonderful husband and kids.

Now I am starting a new journey, as I going to study Health Care Administration, all thanks to the great opportunity that Latinos Unidos and Mercy College have given me.  I cannot find enough words to express my gratitude.

Olga Rojas

My name is Olga Rojas I am 20 years old and  I just sarted my second semester at Des Moines Area Community College and I am majoring in the accounting program.

Victor Cedeno

Originally from the Dominican Republic I came to the United States with my mother in 2001. Ever since I have lived in the Des Moines area. I was enrolled in ESL through middle school and mastered English by the time I was in high school. I attended Lincoln High School from 2003 to 2007. Throughout high school I participated in many events. I was part of the Debate and Mock Trial team for three years. Attended the National Forensics League National Tournament as well as other prestigious competitions.  Debate earned me a historic position at Lincoln High School having the most debate points ever. I also participated in Show Choir, National Honor Society, and Key Club. Through the National Council for Youth Leadership I was selected along with three other students as Youth Leader of the Year. After five years the rest of my brothers finally joined my mother and I here in Iowa. For the first time since my departure from the Dominican Republic my family is together thus I decided to attend Drake University, which is in the Des Moines area. At Drake I have performed well academically achieving both the Dean’s list and the President’s list. I work with Drake’s Language Acquisition Program helping teach Spanish to students. I was also an Orientation Leader this past summer helping welcome the new students and aiding them with registration and their overall transition to college.  I am currently pursuing a degree in Politics and Psychology.

Maya Ruiz-Stanbary

Maya Ruiz-Stanbary is a second-year student at Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA.  She plans to major in Art History and concentrate in Latin American Studies.  Her interests include E.S.L. tutoring in town and working with the Student Organization of Latinos on campus.  Maya is originally from the North side of Chicago and attended Francis W. Parker High School.

Ruby Cruz

Ruby Cruz was born in Watsonville, CA to immigrant parents, Maria Teresa and Jose Herrera from the state of Michoacán, Mexico.  In 1995, she and her family moved to Perry, Iowa in search of better job opportunities, quality education, and a new place to call home.

After graduating from Perry High School in 1998, she attended DMACC for a couple of years and then transferred to Central College in Pella, Iowa.  While at Central College, she fed her adventurous side through study abroad in Yucatan, Mexico and Granada, Spain.  She graduated in 2003 with a double major in Sociology and Spanish.  Soon thereafter, she met her love, Enrique Cruz-Garcia, whom she married in 2005.

Both currently reside in West Des Moines, Iowa where they happily raise their two-and-a-half year old daughter, Kayla Isabel.  After years of being in out-of-school mode, the thought of getting another degree seemed almost impossible. However, with immense support from su familia; inner-motivation, and scholarship opportunities (like the one awarded by Latinos Unidos) she enrolled at Drake University in 2007 to pursue her Masters of Education.

Currently, she continues to work as a Bilingual Office Manager at Ta-Yu Yang’s Law Firm, while finding the time to give her community the value of education by being a mentor to young Latinas through a Des Moines Public School grant program called, “Latinas al Exito”.

In spring of 2009, Ruby will graduate with a Masters of Arts in Teaching with the goal of teaching high school Spanish and Sociology in the Des Moines area.

Jose Antonio Castelan

I was born in Mexico, came to the US when I was 12 years old.  So I have been living in the US for 15 years.  I attended Iowa State University for my undergraduate in business. Presently I am enrolled at Iowa State University, working on a Masters of Science, in International Development Studies. I am currently working with Dr. Wong on my Creative Component that focuses on Latino Development Management talent.

Esperanza Pintor

My name is Esperanza Pintor Martinez. I was born in Michoacan, Mexico and moved to Iowa at the age of eight. Currently, I am a first year graduate student in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa. I received my graduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa in May 2008. In addition to studying, I also work for the Iowa Department of Public Health.

As for my family, I am the eldest of five children and have wonderful parents! Without their support, I would not be where I am today. Thank you Latinos Unidos for providing financial support to Iowa Latinos students in pursuing their educational goals.

Cilia María Ruiz-Paz

Stephanie Lopez

Sandra Leyva

I have been an interpreter since 1988. I worked at the San Diego Immigration Political Asylum hearings while living in the state of California. I also have 10 years of experience working with the community of Storm Lake, IA interpreting at the court house, clinic, hospital, specialty clinic, funeral homes, and attorneys’ offices. I am a well known interpreter in the community, responsible, and trustworthy.