Merced County Latino students visit nation’s capital for leadership program

Three Merced County students returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., last week where they learned about how the federal government works, met important leaders and visited historical sites.

Destiny Murillo and Ashli Quintela of Le Grand High and Kailani Sanchez of Merced High spent last week in the nation’s capital.

The trip was funded through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, a program working to develop Latino leadership in youths.

The CHCI welcomed 70 low-income high school students from around the country to Washington on July 26 to “develop a deeper understanding of how they can affect positive change in their communities,” the institute said in a news release.

“We are very proud to include high school students in the Washington, D.C., experience that we have been providing to college students and college graduates for nearly four decades,” Esther Aguilera, CHCI president, said in the statement. “These 70 talented Latino high school students are eager to learn more about government and policy, as well as prepare themselves to be the leaders of tomorrow.”

This story was originally published August 2, 2015 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Merced County Latino students visit nation’s capital for leadership program."