Axel, age 4, shows the projects he and his classmates crafted during the Migrant Education Program Summer School at Mid Valley Elementary in Odell. On July 23, summer school wrapped up with a community celebration.
HRCSD Readiness Specialist Dafne Valencia with her class and assistant teachers on July 23. For more photos, visit columbiagorgenews.com.
Dafne Valencia taught her students about different Mexican cultures.
Pre-K students get ready for their cultural dance during summer school 2024.
Los estudiantes de prekínder se preparan para su baile cultural durante la escuela de verano 2024.
Migrant Education co-director, Damien Elderkin, introduces the bi-national teacher from Mexico. At left, Fanny Kristell and Ana Lilia Angeles Barrera, far right, celebrate their final week with the Migrant Ed program.
Angeles Barrera and Kristell.
Students completed projects tied to the Mexican culture.
HOOD RIVER — The Hood River County School District’s Migrant Education Program wrapped up its summer school July 23 and welcomed families to see the student projects and watch dance performances led by two bi-national teachers from Mexico.
Ana Lilia Angeles Barrera and Fanny Kristell are from the Mexican states of Hidalgo and Tabasco, respectively. The two applied and were selected to spend one month working with Spanish speaking students at Mid Valley Elementary in Odell.
“I’ve been working in the migrant program since July 1,” said Kristell. “I’m really excited to work here and also to learn about the lives of the Mexican people here in Oregon.”
Dafne Valencia is a migrant program school readiness specialist for ages 4-5.
“My whole plan was to show the students all the cultural wealth that exists in Michoacán, my birthplace, so I decided that we would make replicas of Michoacán crafts,” Valencia said. She works with young students about to enter kindergarten, like Axel, age 4.
He explained several projects he and his classmates worked on during summer school: They made maque, clay jugs, baton of command, guitars, hats and bags hand painted with a Day of the Dead theme. Maque is a decorative plate developed by the Purepecha Indians — an indigenous group of people from the Mexican state of Michoacán — during the 14th century.
Axel said his favorite craft was making the cantarito, or clay jugs. After showing his project, Valencia gathered the class before heading to the gym to perform their dance routine. The gym was nearly at a capacity to watch three traditional dances performed by students in the migrant program along with Angeles Barrera, Kristell and parents involved with the summer school.
Hood River County School District Superintendent Bill Newton was in attendance and happy to see such a strong turnout.
“This is a great opportunity to build community and continue to connect and build relationships with our families,” Newton said. “It’s an awesome night for our students and our families who are participating in summer school.”
Migrant Education Program Summer School Co-Director Damien Elderkin welcomed families and introduced the groups who performed three dance routines. Dinner was served after the presentation.
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