The three teachers from Mexico from left to right: Ms. Jessica Rojo Chavez from Morelia, Michoacan, Mr. Juan Pablo Gomez Gonzalez from Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Ms. Patricia Ramirez Fuentes from Cuernavaca, Morelos.
The three teachers from Mexico from left to right: Ms. Jessica Rojo Chavez from Morelia, Michoacan, Mr. Juan Pablo Gomez Gonzalez from Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Ms. Patricia Ramirez Fuentes from Cuernavaca, Morelos.
Alana Lackner photo
Ms. Castaneda’s first grade class. Back row: Liandro, Andres, Yoandri, Jeison. Front row: Adrian, Daniel, Erick, Rudy.
For this year’s summer school, the Hood River County School District invited three teachers from Mexico to work alongside summer school teachers and help in different capacities. Jessica Rojo from Morelia, Michoacan, worked with elementary students; Juan Pablo Gomez from Fresnillo, Zacatecas, worked with migrant education teacher Luis Ziegner to teach Mexican culture and art; and Patricia Ramirez from Cuernavaca, Morelos, worked with high school students.
The three teachers were sent by the Binational Migrant Education Program, which focuses on reinforcing Mexican culture, history and customs for migrant children in the United States.
“These three teachers shared a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm we all enjoyed and appreciated,” Ziegner said. “I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Juan Pablo Gomez and learned a great deal about their culture and rich traditions. Students learned about the Mexican flag, the importance of corn during the prehispanic cultures, as well as its importance today. We also learned about the pyramids the ancient cultures of Mexico built.”
As part of the program, students built small pyramids out of clay and foam. They also created beautiful, colorful “catrina masks” like the ones seen during Dia de los Muertos. Fifth-graders also learned about “Alebrijes,” colorful, fantastical creatures. These creatures were originally created by Pablo Linares, but have since been carved and sculpted throughout Mexico, recently gaining additional international recognition after their feature in the Disney movie “Coco.”
Students were also taught traditional Mexican dances. Eighth-grade students performed “Arreando la Mula,” a fun, energetic dance from the northern part of Mexico, choreographed by Gomez, and Rojo taught the younger students “Los Viejitos,” the “old men’s dance.”
“Ms. Jessica, Ms. Patricia and Mr. Pablo were a wonderful addition to this year’s summer school,” Ziegner said. “Students, teachers and other school staff loved working and interacting with them.”
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