Radio show a 'best friend'

"Are you afraid?" radio host Carina asked.

"A little." 18-year-old Claudia Hernandez from behind the mike.

"About what?"

"About failing."

Next to her, 20-year-old Miguel Loeza nodded.

Loeza, of Vernon Hills, and Hernandez, of Berwyn, were recent guests on the Spanish-language radio program "Your Child Told Me," conducted by Caren Ex, who goes by "Carina."

The 30-minute segment airs once a week during the Spanish-language program "Carina, Your Best Friend," a staple of Spanish-language AM radio in the Chicago area for about a dozen years.

Both youths are the first in their families to go to college. They want to succeed, but they are also a little nervous -- there is so much they don't know about college, and no one in their families can give them solid advice.

That means they are going to have to find that advice elsewhere, Carina told them in her trademark warm but matter-of-fact tone during the program.

"Take advice from people who have gone through it, there are many people who can help you," she said, like college admissions staff, counselors, professors and even alumni.

The goal of "Tu Hijo Me Dijo" is to shine the spotlight on successful Latino youths with frank talk about the challenges they face when they don't have academically successful role models, Carina said.

Too often stories of Latino youth in the media are about gang members and high school drop outs, Carina said.

"We never hear about the successful ones, the fabulous, energetic, bright ones who are enrolled in school and who are doing it," she said.

This summer Loeza and Hernandez were enrolled in the summer transition program offered by Northeastern University's El Centro campus, in Chicago. The program offers classes like reading and computer science for high school graduates who need an extra boost before starting college.

The students were in their final push -- two weeks to go until they graduated from the program. Loeza planned to take two classes in his first semester, while Hernandez was going to try for four.

Loeza talked about hoping to buy his own laptop, but not wanting to ask his hard-working parents for financial help.

"I decided to go to college because I see my parents struggle. They are working 40-hours and getting low pay, I don't want to be in their shoes." he said. "Now I have the opportunity."

Hernandez echoed his words. "I want to prove to myself that I can do this," she said.

Carina is a graduate of Northeastern and has a master's degree in social work from the University of Chicago. "Carina: Your Best Friend" airs Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. on 750 AM. "Tu Hijo Me Dijo" airs during the program on Thursdays.