The National Hispanic Institute, as part of its mission to cultivate leadership for the 21st century U.S. Latino community, will be holding its Texas Star Great Debate program from June 24-27 at Texas A&M University- Kingsville.

The event will involve 135 student participants from the Alice, Corpus Christi, Falfurrias, Kingsville, La Joya, Mathis, and Odem school districts, as well as an additional group of high school and college student volunteers who are veterans of previous NHI programs.

The program, coordinated by the National Hispanic Institute, the largest Latino youth organization in the nation, is one of 16 programs being held in the United States and Panama this summer, designed for high-performing Latino high school students to develop leadership skills.

NHI first initiated its summer programs for high school students in the early 1980s to help students develop the communication and collaboration skills needed to effectively lead in the U.S. Latino community.

According to NHI founder and president, Dr. Ernesto Nieto, there is an ongoing leadership crisis in the U.S. Latino community, stemming in part from growing U.S. Latino population numbers and a lack of civic engagement among U.S. Latino community members.

Though NHI’s primary concern is developing leaders, students who have participated in NHI programs have a remarkable track record with respect to college enrollment. More than 98 percent of NHI participants attend college, with 90 percent graduating in four to five years, and 65 percent continuing into graduate studies.

“The Great Debate program allows students to practice the communications skills needed for success, through debating issues of particular import to Latinos in the United States today,” Nieto said. “Since we see the participating students as potential leaders in the U.S. Latino community, our idea of success goes beyond just doing well in college and in professional careers. This program allows students to realize their potential, to understand why they’re needed in the Latino community, and to begin fulfilling their promise as leaders.”

This year’s Great Debate participants will research and debate on two primary issues affecting the U.S. Latino community: Latinos and Higher Education, which will include the function of education for Latinos and the concept of diversity; and Economics and Economic Ideology, will include globalization and personal finance.

In addition to the Great Debate (formerly known as the Young Leaders Conference), geared toward high school freshmen, NHI offers other leadership programs for high school students, including the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session, which allows high school sophomores and juniors to convene a legislative session to practice the give and take of public policy, and the Collegiate World Series, geared toward high school juniors looking to enter college.

Nieto founded the nonprofit organization in 1979 in Austin, Texas, as a way to encourage young Latino students to enhance their leadership abilities and actively participate in the Latino community. NHI has an alumni base of more than 70,000, which includes a number of professional, civic and political leaders who are using the skills they developed in NHI programs to affect positive change in the U.S. Latino community.