Discovery en Español celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month

Discovery en Español announced Tuesday, Sep. 10 that they will broadcast original productions, and community events offering information about self-improvement and employment opportunities, in celebration of NationalHispanic Heritage Month. During National Hispanic Heritage Month, the network will pay homage by showcasing the spirit of achievement and determination shared by Hispanics who immigrate to the United States in search of a better future.

From September 15 to October 15 Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the history, culture and contributions of persons that are of Spanish, Mexican, Caribbean, and Central and South American decent. Enacted by President Johnson in 1968, National Hispanic Heritage Month was expanded by President Regan in 1988, to cover the 30-day period of September 15 to October 15.

This 30-day period holds great significance for many Hispanics. September 15 marks impendence day for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Additionally, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sep. 16 and Sep. 18 respectively. Rounding out the Month is Día de la Raza (Columbus Day – Oct. 14), which is celebrated on its actual date of Oct. 12.

As for Discovery en Español, during this period the network will be presenting special programming related to immigration every Sunday at 10 p.m. and the network will continue its Descubre tu talento campaign, which provides the Hispanic community with resources and information in Spanish about job training and opportunities.

As part of Descubre tu talento, Discovery en Español continues its collaboration with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and its “Latinos On Fast Track” (LOFT) program, which prepares students to make a successful transition from high school to college. LOFT will hold a series of events this month in cities around the country featuring training sessions, lectures and workshops on such topics as finance, business, entertainment and education, beginning in Texas on Sep. 22.

The network’s on air initiatives will include the premiere of a series of shorts created specifically to highlight the success stories of U.S. Hispanics. Additionally, with an eye toward the current debate on immigration reform in Congress, Discovery en Español will feature original productions focusing on this topic and the determination of the Hispanics who decide to risk everything to seek a better future in the United States. These documentaries, made by Hispanics for Hispanics, will air Sundays at 10 p.m. and a listing of shows can be found on The Daily Dose.

Animated educational series arrives at Discovery Familia

Discovery Familia announced Tuesday, Aug. 13 the arrival of a special group of creatures who are on a mission to bring the wonders of math to young children. In the new series, “Matemonstruos,” Max, Lily and Gú demonstrate that math is everywhere and can be used to solve any problem.

Each episode of “Matemonstruos” will help kids to explore counting, calculating, measuring and identifying geometric shapes. The new animated series brings Discovery Familia to join Discovery Communications in the “Connect the Dots” initiative. The initiative aims to promote emphasis on the importance of educational endeavors in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and careers in these fields.

In addition to the new animated series, “Matemonstruos,” Discovery Familia is introducing specific back-to-school programming that is geared to a preschooler’s level of curriculum. Artzooka!, Mister Maker and Word World, in conjunction with informative shorts, “Back to School with Jeannette Torres” focus on preschool education. The special back-to-school programming will air for two weeks at 10 a.m. beginning Aug. 19 and “Matemonstruos” will air Monday-Friday at 5 p.m. beginning on Aug. 26 on the Discovery Familia channel.

Facts about STEM careers and U.S. Hispanics

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology estimates that the United States needs to produce approximately one million more STEM professionals over the next 10 years, which equates to increasing the number of students earning STEM degrees by nearly 35% per year over current rates.

Latinos are the fastest growing segment of the US population and workforce, yet the Hispanic share of the STEM workforce increased by only one percentage point from 2000-2009, according to the US Department Of Commerce’ Economics And Statistics Administration.

Given Hispanics are projected to account for 75 percent of the growth in the nation’s labor force between 2010 and 2020, Latinos completing certificates and degrees in STEM fields will be vital to meeting the national STEM college completion goal1.

According to data from the Higher Education Research Institute (2010), only 16 percent of Hispanic students who began college in 2004 as STEM majors completed a STEM degree by 2009, compared to 25 percent of non-Hispanic White students.

Women hold only 24% of STEM jobs in the United States2

• Only 3% of Hispanic Women earned physical science degrees, 2% earned engineering degrees and 1% earned computer science degrees in 20113 
• 81% of teen girls see themselves as “smart enough to have a career in STEM”, yet only 13% consider it their number one career option2

Sources:

1. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technolog
2. New York Academy of Sciences and Girls Scouts of the USA 
3. Miami Science Museum

Discovery en Español partners with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

Discovery en Español announced on Aug. 2 a partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) and its Latinos On Fast Track (LOFT) program for Descubre Tu Talento “Discover Your Talent”, which is a multimedia campaign aimed to inform the US Hispanic community on how to acquire marketable job skills.

With the slogan “Tu futuro empieza ahora, cuenta con nosotros,” which translates to “Your future starts now, account with us,” the Descubre Tu Talento program will offer information about job training and resources in Spanish. As part of the partnership, Discovery en Español co-hosted the HHF’s 14th Annual Regional Youth Awards, in Miami, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., which recognizes the outstanding academic achievements and community service of Hispanic youths. The network is also participating in ten LOFT STEM symposia, hosting panel discussions that focus upon the areas of STEM; science, technology, engineering and math.

The Descubre Tu Talento campaign offers a newly redesigned micro-site, in Spanish, that offers career guidance, employment resources, and opportunities. New sections of the site include including instructions for revalidating college degrees, job search engines, scholarships, resources for learning English, and information about vocational and technical careers. For more information visit the Descubre Tu Talento site. Para obtener más información, visite Descubre tu talento.

BGCA and Kimberly-Clark launch ‘Girl Talk’

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) announced on July 12 the launch of a new initiative to answer the “uncomfortable” questions many young girls have. The initiative “Girl Talk: What's Your Question?” is a partnership project with the Kimberly-Clark Corporation and is part of the SMART Girls program.

“Girl Talk: What's YourQuestion?” aims to provide girls aged 8 to 17 with valid information about highly relevant issues such as dating, sex, self-esteem, personal hygiene and body image. The initiative was borne from the massive amounts of misinformation that is readily available to tweens and teens.

As a part of the SMART Girls program, the "Girl Talk: What's Your Question?" initiative utilizes social media and invites tween and teen girls to submit their questions about transitioning to womanhood. Questions can be submitted via Facebook and Twitter and the BGCA is offering chances to win prizes for those that submit questions. For more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of America or the SMART Girls program, visit BGCA.