(Contributed)
Overcoming obstacles: ETSU’s migrant program gets plenty of help from community to thrive despite troubles
By Lise CutshawEast Tennessee State University
This summer’s five-week Migrant Education Program in Johnson City started with more obstacles than usual.
Funding for 2010 was cut, so budgets were drastically smaller. Transportation for the children of area migrant workers, ages 3 to 12th grade, disintegrated in the budget fallout. And MEP teachers, transporting the children in their own autos, found shocking conditions in some of the homes.
The story, however, has a happy ending.
“It has been amazing,” said Holly Melendez, ETSU’s coordinator for MEP, which offers Hispanic young people a variety of educational and fun opportunities for five weeks each June and July. “We have continued to achieve the unachievable and really exceed expectations this summer. People have been so amazing, giving their time and money.”
Teachers driving the students to and from program headquarters at Wesley United Methodist Church in Johnson City was “a huge hurdle,” Melendez said. “But it’s been a blessing in its own way.”
Interaction with parents has improved because teachers, donating their time, are meeting them in their homes. “In previous years we didn’t have any interaction because the bus dropped them off and took them home. We didn’t have any idea of their needs.”
As a result of seeing those needs themselves, word has gone out among the MEP teachers, their friends and members of Wesley UMC, and boxes of snacks, athletic equipment and bag upon bag of clothes and shoes have been donated. “You see this office?” said Melendez, holding her arms out. “It was empty when we started. Now it is full of snacks for the program, balls and games and clothes – all donated. We wouldn’t have had the money for these things. Dollar for dollar, this church and other good people have more than matched what we had in our budget.”
Not only have the MEP’s own teachers donated their cars, time and necessities, but they continue to find ways to give to these children, who having moved in the last three years are making the transition to school, the different culture and daily life.
Class 3 teacher Elizabeth Ward and ETSU students in the Hispanic Experience cultural immersion summer course are meticulously sewing brightly patterned and colored cloth backpacks for each of the students in the largest class, grades 1-3. “She noticed the students were loaded down with stuff ... ” Melendez said, smiling as she watches Ward and her team sitting and sewing off to the side in the Wesley UMC gymnasium.
Their cup runs over. A bus chaperone has decided to stay all day and help instead of going about her daily business and coming back to ride with students up in the afternoon. A social work student arranged a free tour of one of ETSU’s chemistry labs and donations of graphing calculators for each middle and high school MEP student.
Someone else has donated soccer balls — in honor of the World Cup “which has been such a huge thing here this summer,” Melendez said — and another donor is providing computer jump or flash drives for all the youngsters.
While women of Wesley UMC have toiled dozens of hours to sew lavish skirts for the older dancers who will be performing “La Bamba” today at the MEP Final Fiesta, the church’s associate pastor, Melendez said, heard one of the MEP girls’ dream was to play saxophone. The pastor has since arranged for the young lady to attend a band camp on scholarship.
“This church, which also donates the space to us, is a true community partner,” said MEP/Hispanic Experience Director Dr. Sharon Loury. “They have been so supportive of the migrant children, the program and the idea behind it.”
In addition, when they are not working with the young people on the movement, music, history, geography and culture of the Mexican dances, the two MEP dance teachers are making the younger class’s costumes.
“It’s almost overwhelming,” said Loury, an ETSU nursing professor, “the dedication, energy and generosity of everyone — the church members, the teachers, so many others. We couldn’t have done it without them. It is a true example of dedication to this population.
“It’s embracing the whole ideal of the migrant program.”
For more information on ETSU’s Migrant Education Program, e-mail Melendez at melendeh@etsu.edu.