Author: Stan Deatherage | Published: February 1st, 2010

    P.S. Jones Middle School Principal Dale Cole believes he can help Hispanic children have a more rewarding learning experience while in his care during school hours. I met with Mr. Cole in the cafeteria in the middle school where a group of about 60 Hispanic parents, and some children, met with school personal and volunteers to discuss ways to better serve their educational process. I had learned of these gatherings to effect a better success in the education of Hispanic children from my hairdresser, Nidia Martinez. She is a great proponent of these gatherings, believing that Hispanic community can become closer knit thereby keeping a keen eye on their children’s progress, and, just as important, staying out of trouble.

    Principal Cole explain, “We consider what we can do to help these the children of these Hispanic parents succeed. At these gatherings, we explain to these parents that they should contact their children’s teachers and make sure their children are doing their homework. Also, in meeting with these concerned parents, we are able to bridge the language barrier.”

    After a nutritious meal of soft tacos, chips and salsa and fruit the program transitioned into the program: Principal Cole speaking through an interpreter, Phillip Lewis (director of English as a Second Language) expressed to the parents good child management practices to stay engaged in their child’s progress, and then he introduced Vicente Marin, who is a minor success story as a young first generation Hispanic, who has learned English and is doing well speaking currently at ECU.

    The gathering of Hispanics here await the program: Above. Commissioner Hood Richardson visits the gathering and also enjoys the nuritious Mexican meal: Below.



    Commissioner Hood Richardson, who was in attendance, agreed with the premise that this was a positive step to better educate these children, but the better take away was his comment, “Build it and they will come.”

    While these are all positive methods to integrate to help these children learn, one has to wonder: How many of these children are in the United States illegally? These positive initiatives to serve the Hispanic Community that are here legally, may also alternately serve as a measure to lure Hispanics from nations that have long been broken.

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