Best Kept Secret
Family Project: Parents as first teacher
Four years ago, Pat Walsh and Salvador Avalos strongly believed “The corner stone on Migrant People is the family!” How could they bring to fruition this ideal! What if we bring families together – fathers-mothers-sons and daughters—to a central location. They would be instructed on writing skills, reading strategies, pre-school activities, nutrition, communication skills, childcare activities, leadership, and self-actualization skills. The project would conclude when families would be invited over night to Camp Keep for a Family Retreat!
Yes for the last four years, over 1000 migrant students and parents have participated in the Family Project; Parents as First Teachers. The project consists of allocating family slots to districts in the Migrant Program. Families are bussed into the Migrant Education Office in Bakersfield. Parents and students participate in four all day Saturday workshops. Families that attend all Saturday workshops are invited to Camp Keep to participate in a Family Retreat.
The Saturday workshops consists of:
- Writing skills for students in grade 1-5
- Reading skills for students in grade 1-5
- Leadership classes for grades 6- 8
- Communication skills for parents and students
- Self-actualization for parent and students in grades 6- 8
- Nutrition for healthy living
- Pre-school academic activities for parents
- CAMP KEEP Family Retreat
- Communication skills (family)
- Self- actualization skills (family)
- Outdoor family activities