Mom did what she could, because she knew that education was important and that is why she took us, 
Mis padres encouraged us to learn a lot and learn English quickly.
I felt part of the community when I was in high school. I started to get involved in sport and politician topics. 
Now  more awareness of what is needed for children in schools.
Hoping that pepope to coming together to improve school systems where we support each other to be a community.
Now are organization working to improve Family Engagement equitable for all. 

Albuquerque, New Mexico- strong Native influence.

School was important to attend. 

Teachers were compassionate and caring. Best experience of schooling was in the early years.

2nd Interview- White Woman SLP
School felt like a welcoming place- teachers- acceptance.

Teachers built relationships with students.

Experience at school- don’t remember thinking someone was a different color. There were some black families. Never in my mind did I think you were a black family. We just were people. 

Parents were not involved in PTA. They did what they could. If the school said they needed something, they would do what they could. 

Had 6 kids. Get to school, do your job. Held accountable

The secretaries were sweet. Pretended to be sick one time and the secretary winked at mom when she was picked up from school. Mom made her stay in bed for the rest of the day.  

3rd Interview- Mexican Male, Para and Parent of Child in District
Did a lot through church. Supported in that environment. Went to fiestas. 

Fun in the neighborhood. Play in the streets. Box with each other.

Toppenish community- kids playing after school at the park, riding bikes. Go to friends house- wouldn’t see parents. 

Friends would come to house and mom would feed them. Play at the park. 

Church on Sunday- Catholic church. 

Mom made sure they went to school- it was the priority.

There were school activities for festival days- 4th of July- the day of the flag- parade- dress up as soldier done for the community. 

During school- get ready and dressed up. Get there and eat breakfast and lunch. Loved lunch time. Chocolate milk. Time with friends. Ate all his food. 

Teachers- all Spanish classes when he first started. That was a good support for him. There were enough students to fill the classroom. 

Teachers were good. Some Hispanic teachers and white teachers that spoke Spanish 

Played sports- soccer and wrestling. Did what he needed to do to graduate. Knew he wasn’t going to College b/c he didn’t have the papers. 

Teachers were good. He was a good student. There were 2 teachers- one was Native American- gave him a job to do gardening after school and he got paid. Another Hispanic teacher was there and he would talk with them whenever kids needed. 

Toppenish- church- Friday night youth groups- hang out with friends. Hang out, stay out of trouble. 

Sunday- church. Getting together. Dances Food gathering

4th Interview- Family Support Specialist Hispanic Female
Mabton. Farming community that was mostly made up of Caucasion. We were the minority. At 1 years old moved to Mabton- identifies Mexican-American. 

Few big families- 7. They all spoke English, but spoke Sp at home with mom. 

Were all US citizens. 

Influx program for students 

Worked all day and then went to school from 4-7pm. Started the program in Mabton and then Grangeview. 

Nov. to March- went to school for 5 months. 

Western- in Bellingham heard about the students and started to create packets of school work for the students to work on---English, Math. The students worked together on the packets. There was a man that would help them. The credits got sent home to help the students graduate from High School. 

Math teacher put him in front of class and he couldn’t do what was being asked for the math problem. Didn’t understand (not at that level). Remembers crying in class. Didn’t feel safe and  was unsettling at this school. 

Remembers thinking that money was a concern. 

Moved to Yakima for High School. Mom had him start at West Valley for High School. School felt very Cliquish. 

In the summer he played sports, but when school started it wasn’t the same. Kids went back to their cliques. He felt isolated and didn’t fit in. This was uncomfortable.

Ate lunch w/diff kids everyday.

Told mom he hated the school. 

Offered drugs at back of class. Sat in the back. 

Can see how people look for other students to influence. 

Kids doing drugs- looking for others. 

Didn’t know about Poverty levels. I was a poor kid. But did not know it. Got 2 pairs of shoes and that is just the way that it was. 

Elem- there was a mix of students and across the street from elem. there was low income housing. 

I remember watching a dad hitting a kid. Told the teacher and we got in trouble for watching. 

Parents had to drive kids to school. Lived in the country. No busing for kinder. After kinder there was busing.  

Remembers brother was being abused by a teacher in 2nd grade. Mom realized it and felt really bad.

You knew what would happen if you didn’t behave in school. The principals could swat you. 

Bus driver- sister got suspended from riding the bus in kinder. Driver picked on her for no reason. This driver targeted kids. 

In Jr. High- told that she was stupid. Got a D. 2 teachers were predators. 2 men. “You’re not smart enough to be in this classroom” 7-9th grade. Felt relieved to get out of that room. Counselors-- teachers noticed. 

3rd Interview- Mexican Male, Para and Parent of Child in District
At 12 years old dad brought us to the US. Crossed to border. Got caught 2 times. 3rd time were able to pass. 

School was hard. Harder than here. Freshman are already looking into career. 

No time to do homework. No time to do this. Teachers would hit the kids on the hands for not passing or doing homework with a ruler. The kids chose the branch for the teacher to hit. 

Communication was missing with the parents to help the students. They only met to give the grades. Middle of school year or the end. Not a lot of support for the students. 

Pay the bills. Dad was the only one working. 10 kids, mom, dad, grandma, grandpa and 2 kids. They all went back to Mexico. The 3 oldest brothers stayed when the rest of the family went to Mexico


4th Interview- Family Support Specialist Hispanic Female
Started working at 8 years old . Was taught that  “When you hear the whistle blowing you run to the bus if you’re under 13 years old and grab the little ones and help them to run to the bus---the bus would take them out for ice cream.” This was done so they wouldn’t get caught working as children on the field.

11year olds- 

People in suits would come to the camps and interview the kids. 10 cabins. White man in a suit- asked her if she spoke English. When do you go to school? The man said aren’t you Mexican. 

Went to Oregon to work with potatoes. 

15 years old helping to support the family and the younger siblings. 

18 years old when dad passed away. 

Family issues- 12 in the household. Oldest brother- ran away and sister did too. They did finish school. 

2 bedroom house with one bedroom. 

5 girls slept  in one bedroom and 5 boys slept in the other room. 

Dad and mom went to parent/teacher conferences. Don’t remember them going to sport functions. They went to the boys sports, but not the girls.

High School---  teachers were good. Except for 1 (computers- he had his favorites). He treated the jocks/cheerleaders better.

Mom took the family to church every Sunday when they weren’t working in the fields.

Home visitors came to the camps. Taught mom how to make different food. Taught her parenting skills. 

School was great. Had speech therapy from Kinder-5th grade. Loved school. The teachers were wonderful. Taught her how to love to read. 5th grade. Taught the girls how to value themselves and love themselves. She really impacted them. Teachers spoke English which was fine. 

Parents- Education was very important to her family. All siblings graduated. 

Highlight as a migrant family- the bus would come out to the camps----30-40famiies in a camp. It was a book bus and they could check out the books for a week. J loved this. 

Nothing really missing from Elem. School. Principal walked around every day and checked on kids to see how everyone was doing. He always wore a suit. Very professional.

Received a box of commodities- dry milk, cheese, rice, flour, sugar, pasta, peanut butter- the truck drove into the camps and dropped off a box to each family. Mom would make delicious meals with it.


Good community--- HOPS was a good thing. Hops festival, 

Hay bales community  farming day. Parade carnival. Make a castle out of hay bales. Gave as a sense of belonging. 

Movie nights at the park, dinner in the park. 

Plant a seed of community and sense of belonging and safety. Encourage families to join. 

3rd-7th grade summer school program was provided and they went on field trips. Cooking, sewing, math, history, reading for kids whose parents worked during the summer. If it wasn’t for school, we would have been messed up.