Prepárate 2025 Is Turning Aspirations into Action for Hundreds of Students and Teachers Navigating a Path to College and Career Success

Denver, CO – The 2025 Prepárate™ Conference is paving the way for educators, parents, and other caring adults to help Latino students confidently navigate their journeys to college and career success. Through engaging sessions focused on student empowerment and teacher professional development, attendees gain firsthand insights into scholarships, educational opportunities, and resources available through the College Board.

Prepárate is a nationally recognized annual conference sponsored by the College Board that showcases proven models and strategies for preparing Latino students for postsecondary achievement. It serves as a platform for educators and advocates to share innovative practices, collaborate on new solutions, and address the cultural and educational needs of Latino communities.

This year’s conference opened with the Conference Bienvenida, a vibrant celebration of Latino culture featuring student performances that captured the energy, diversity, and pride of the community. The event set an inspiring tone for the days ahead.

A highlight of the conference was a panel featuring Latino students who shared their personal academic journeys and how coursework has helped shape their career goals.

“I didn’t look forward to taking AP Calculus, but I ended up loving it,” said Emmanuel Gonzales, a senior at St. Vrain Valley Schools in Colorado. “The teacher was so inspiring and passionate about the subject. His passion sparked a passion in me, and now I’m heading to college to study mechanical engineering.”

The opening day concluded with a special BigFuture^® Live event, produced in partnership with the Univision Foundation. Univision Foundation and BigFuture provide free, comprehensive digital tools designed to help all students confidently plan their next steps after high school. Streamed in Spanish, the session offered students and families practical guidance on college and career planning, with live answers to questions from students and parents.

“We hope this event sets a new standard for future BigFuture Live events,” said Greg Rafal-Brooks, Senior Director of Program Strategy at BigFuture. “It was incredibly rewarding to partner with Univision Foundation to engage with thousands of Spanish-speaking students and families, answer their questions, and most importantly, empower them with the tools and information they need to envision their future and plan for life after high school.”

The conference will wrap up on Friday with the presentation of the prestigious Modelo de la Comunidad Award, honoring individuals and organizations that have shown exceptional leadership and dedication to advancing the Latino community.

Closing remarks will feature a conversation between Colorado Commissioner of Education Susana Cordova and College Board CEO David Coleman, addressing K–12 education, course relevancy, and strategies for elevating student success.

To learn more about Prepárate and the College Board, please visit www.collegeboard.org.

For video and pictures of the opening sessions, see below.