ASPIRA of Connecticut was founded in 1990 by a group of Latino community leaders. This group knew that ASPIRA's programs of economic enhancement, leadership development, and advocacy were needed in order to solve high dropout and teen pregnancy rates and low mastery test scores that Puerto Rican/Latino and other minority youth were exhibiting in the state's public education systems. In 1991, after much time and effort devoted by the founding members, ASPIRA started program activity in three Bridgeport schools with a $25,000 grant and a teacher on loan from the Board of Education.

Today, ASPIRA has grown to a statewide agency employing 13 full-time and 85 part-time staff and serving over 1300 children, youth and parents in Bridgeport, Danbury, Greenwich, Hartford, New Britain and Stamford. Program activities and services include:

•after-school tutorials and homework help
•advisement and mentoring
•parent workshops
•leadership seminars and conferences
•high school clubs
•cultural awareness activities
•field trips and college visits