HAAC’s Latino Youth Leadership Summit Inspires New Generation
Group shot of attendees at the Latino Youth Leadership Summit at Stockton University on March 28, 2025. Photo courtesy of Hispanic Association of Atlantic County
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
GALLOWAY — Bert Lopez, the longtime president of the Hispanic Association of Atlantic County, said one of the most pleasing aspects of HAAC’s Latino Youth Leadership Summit on March 28 was that two former participants returned as educators and mentors.
HAAC welcomed more than 80 students from five South Jersey high schools to Stockton University for the day-long annual summit where the participants were asked to connect themselves and each other and then think about their futures.
Lopez and Latino leaders from around Atlantic County to provided guidance, encouragement and inspiration as mentors and instructors. He said two teachers who engaged with students were part of some of the first youth leadership summits when HAAC was known as the Hispanic Alliance of Atlantic County in 2009.
The students came from Absegami High School, Atlantic City High School, Atlantic County Institute of Technology, Egg Harbor Township High School, Mainland High School, and Pleasantville High School.
Lopez said the event was created to inspire and foster leadership among local Latino youth as well as provide opportunities for exploration of career pathways. The day was filled with workshops on a variety of topics which was meant to give confidence to the students to become future community leaders.
The first panel dealt with the students talking about their own personal journey and how they got to where they are today. Then that focused on opportunities available to them.
“That went very well and was really enjoyable,” Lopez said. “In that way, the kids could start to imagine career pathways for themselves.”
Lopez said the workshops sought to get the attendees to open about their own personal journey as well as what they saw in the future.
He said one workshop that went particularly well was went the students broke up in groups and were told to create their own countries.
“I really liked that one because [the students] got really creative and made up their own national anthem,” Lopez told Front Runner New Jersey. “That was really cool because it was an exercise that got them thinking.”
Another workshop asked students to think about how they think about themselves and how others think about them.
“Another workshop was about resiliency,” Lopez said. “That got them to think about how to overcome challenges in their lives.”
A party and talent show closed out the summit. Students were recognized for making leadership speeches. Students showed off various talents and Lopez said one young singer was so impressive that HAAC invited her to sing at the upcoming Atlantic City Latino Festival in September.
Lopez praised Stockton University Admissions Director Heather Medina and the university for hosting the summit and providing meals for the students. He also said the educators deserved a great deal of credit for engaging with the students.
The Latino Youth Leadership Summit has been around since 2009 and took a short break before returning in 2019.
Lopez said the students took full advantage of the professionals who attended, from police officers, healthcare professionals, education officials, attorneys, officials from Atlantic City Electric, and others.
“I think it was very successful,” Lopez said. “I heard one of the teachers said that the kids were happy and they were really enjoying it. They stepped up and interacted directly with all the mentors. It was rewarding for them to be here for the kids.”
Lopez said one of the biggest challenges was organizing the event in the two-month span.
Educators who took part in the summit included Aurora Boyette, Absegami; Tennelle Norman-Vargas, Atlantic City; Angie Diaz, ACIT; Paola Florido, Egg Harbor Township; Grizilda Cruz and Renee Gensamer, Pleasantville.
Along with Lopez and Boyette, members of the HAAC education committee that planned the summit included Medina and Michelle Puerta from Stockton; Rebeca Jomarron, with the Superior Court of New Jersey; AtlantiCare case manager Ivenny Lopez; Pleasantville School Superintendent Dr. Marilyn Martinez; engineer Paul Avila; and Madelynn Tejeda, a mortgage loan consultant.
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