By Matthew Polk
Over the last few weeks, Prosper Waco working groups have been brainstorming ideas of collaborative ways to reach the measurable goals established by the Prosper Waco steering committees. At the same time, the Prosper Waco Community Engagement Council has been reaching out to people throughout the community to get their input and ideas about how this community initiative should move forward.
What are the Prosper Waco goals, again? Prosper Waco is about:
- More kids being ready to learn when they start Kindergarten
- More students (and adults) finishing a college degree or certificate that will get them a good job
- More people knowing where they need to go to get the best healthcare…and being able to afford it
- More people living a healthy lifestyle and losing weight
- More women receiving the healthcare they need to make sure they and their babies are healthy
- More community members reporting good mental health
- More youth (16-24 year olds) getting a job
- More people getting the job training they need to make a better living
- More people being able to save for their future
To learn more about the specific goals associated with each of the points above and how we plan to measure them, visit our website (www.prosperwaco.org) and click on ‘The Goals.’
In the month of October, the Prosper Waco steering committees will reconvene to prioritize the ideas that our working groups have developed. There are many good ideas for things to be done in our community to help move toward our goals, and the steering committees have the job of deciding which strategies are most promising. But even then it will be hard to implement strategies to address every goal across the community at the same time.
It will be important for each part of Waco to decide which of these things is the highest priority for their community. The East Waco community may want to start working on strategies that promote healthy lifestyles and weight loss, while South Waco may want to start by addressing youth employment. North Waco may be most interested in finding ways to help more people finish college degrees and certificates. This is why we need to have an ongoing community conversation about where the Prosper Waco initiative is headed and which of the initiative’s goals are most relevant for each of Waco’s communities.
If you’re still wondering how you can be involved in the work of Prosper Waco, here are some ideas:
Give your thoughts: email our Community Engagement Coordinator, Jillian ([email protected]) and she will connect you to a member of our community engagement council who lives nearest you. Their role is to hear from community members and to make sure that ideas from the community are part of the discussion.
Join the work: if you have the time and flexibility to join the meeting of Prosper Waco partners who are committed to working together, you are invited to join us. You do not have to represent an organization or be a professional expert—any community member who is willing to help can be part of the working groups focused on education, health, and financial security issues.
Tell a friend: tell someone else about the Prosper Waco initiative and point them toward our website or Facebook page. If they are looking for opportunities to improve their education, health, or financial security, help them navigate the Get Help Locally page of our website to find what they need. If they can’t find what they need, tell them to call us and we’ll help them find the information they’re looking for.
Volunteer: by volunteering with one of the many partner organizations within the Prosper Waco initiative, you are directly contributing to the success of this community initiative. If you want to help but don’t know where to start, take a look at the Affiliates page of our website to find an organization that is committed to the Prosper Waco initiative. Or give us a call at (254) 741-0081 and we can connect you with a volunteer opportunity that will help move our community forward.
This Act Locally Waco Blog post was written by Matthew Polk. Matthew is Executive Director of Prosper Waco. Prior to that, he served as Superintendent of Rapoport Academy Public School. He and his wife attended Baylor, and after spending a few years in the northeast, they returned to Waco to raise their family. They have four children, ages 8 to 3 months. You can contact him at [email protected].
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By James Karney
“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.” – John Milton in Areopagitica, 1644
In the 1930’s farmers and businessmen in California’s San Joaquin Valley burned copies of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath as, “obscene in the extreme”. Local officials were motivated by fears that it would insight the migrant “Okies” to unionize. The ban remained in place until 1941.
Franklin Roosevelt in his 1941 State of Union message to Congress put forth the concept of the four essential human freedoms – Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want and Freedom from Fear – that should be defended and protected. Roosevelt was preparing the country for the time when America and her sons would be called into the war which had been raging in Europe for the past 16 months.
Six years of world conflict and an estimated 70-85 million military and civilian deaths would free countless souls from Nazi and Japanese tyranny. But as history has shown, the four freedoms are still but a dream for many parts of the world. Roosevelt’s vision of, “a world founded upon four essential human freedoms” has yet to be achieved.
Challenges to freedom of speech still persist. The book burners of Nazi Germany are now the ISIS militants in Iraq and Syria, justifying their destruction of libraries and historical sites as cleansing the world of “inferior ideas,” just as the Nazis did. Justification for book banning, censorship or restriction of access to books is typically based upon moral, political, philosophical or religious grounds.
At its basis though, the banning of books is done out of fear:
- Fear that society will be corrupted by the words or ideas of an author,
- Fear that one’s religious beliefs are being blasphemed,
- Fear that a country’s political or economic ideology cannot hold up to differing ideas,
- Fear that ideas in a book may be inappropriate for children or teens.
It is our responsibility as citizens to uphold the values in our constitution and first among these are those freedoms found in the First Amendment – religion, speech, press, assembly and petition of grievances. The banning or censorship of books and the ideas contained therein should be an anathema to all those who believe in the principles upon which our country was founded.
To live in a free society is to live in a society where people of differing political, religious, cultural or social backgrounds live in community. There should be open discourse and the sharing of ideas without threat of retribution or criticism. No one is asking for acceptance or approval of the ideas or beliefs with which you do not agree, just the right to freely express them.
It is the responsibility of a parent to decide when and if a book is appropriate for his or her child. Limiting access to books in curriculum or school and public libraries impacts the freedom of others to raise their children under their own value and belief system. Most school districts have policies that allow parents to have their child read a different text when they feel a book in the curriculum is not appropriate for their child. This scenario took place last year in the Highland Park school district near Dallas. A small group of parents objected to seven books included in the English curriculum at the high school. The school board initially acquiesced to the request temporarily removing the books for review. Public outcry and the results of the review led to the books being reinstated.
This week celebrate your freedom, read a book that has been banned, censored or otherwise restricted.
* These are not all- inclusive lists of banned or challenged books, visit the website of the Office for Intellectual freedom of the American Library Association for more complete lists,www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks.
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by James Karney. James worked in a library beginning in his sophomore year of high school and after a more than thirty year library career recently retired as Director of the Waco-McLennan County Library. He’s currently taking a sabbatical working on projects around the house, catching up on reading and doing research on Texas statesman Coke Stevenson. He has been married to the super amazing and talented Anita Karney for 20 years and their son Jamie is a senior at Midway High School.
If you would like to write a post for the Act Locally Waco blog, please contact Ashley Thornton by email at [email protected] .
by Betty and Benjy Bauer & Family
Many have heard about Talitha Koum and you may have also read the blog that Susan Cowley, Executive Director, shared on Act Locally Waco in June. You hopefully know about the important work that the therapeutic nursery does to support healthy brain development during early childhood for children living in extreme poverty. What you may not be aware of is Talitha Koum’s commitment to remain involved in the lives of these children once they are in grade school. I did not know and I also could never have imagined how much my life would change once I did.
Talitha Koum has a mentoring program that strives to match mentors to children once they launch into kindergarten. The goal is for these mentors to become integrated with the child’s life as it relates to home, school, and play, while the child also partakes in your life to increase exposure to other aspects of the world they would otherwise not see.
Six years ago life changed for my family and me. We had recently learned more about the important work that Talitha Koum does to serve children in extreme poverty and were moved to become mentors to a young boy. As my husband and children were going to support me in my role as a mentor, they were included in the match process. We decided to mentor a four year old boy and haven’t looked back since. He is 10 now and has become an integral part of our life. My life has been full of many incredible experiences and privileges, but the years I have invested into this child and he has invested into us, have truly been the most fun and most wonderful in my life. I look forward to every chance I have to be around this boy and honestly miss him when he is not around.
I tell you all of this because we have a need. We must find a mentor for his younger, 6 year old brother. His brother, let’s call him David, was at Talitha Koum from infancy until pre-K and is now in kindergarten. This sweet child is highly intelligent and despite the potential effects of extreme poverty and instability, does not have any behavioral issues. Due to the nature of Talitha Koum’s mentoring program, David needs his own, unique mentor (or mentoring couple/family) separate from us. It has been heavy on my heart to find a mentor for this child so that he may also have another adult in his corner providing proactive support, experiences, and positivity. Life is about to change for David, a baby will be arriving soon making him a big brother and changing family dynamics for everyone.
I will be honest, the commitment of becoming a mentor to David or any child from Talitha Koum is more than what most mentoring programs in our community ask. Yet I know firsthand that the change you will impact and the change a child will impact in your life, will be far greater than anything you could share through only 30 minutes a week for a school year or two. Waco needs more mentors for all of its children; David needs a mentor now. I urge you to learn more about Talitha Koum’s mentoring program at http://talithakoum.org/mentors/, and if interest is on your heart, I will be honored to tell you more about David, with the hope of exploring if you are a good mentor fit for this sweet, intelligent boy. Please feel to reach me at [email protected]. Mentoring David’s older brother has been a gift to my family and me for six years; I hope mentoring David will be a gift to someone else in Waco very soon.
Betty Bauer serves on various non-profit boards in the Waco community including the Waco Foundation and the MCC Foundation Boards. Benjy and their son Kam own a family business, H & B Packing Company, which has been in their family for 65 years. Their daughter Kalize lives and works in Dallas making frequent trips to Waco. Kam’s wife Shauna is a Physical Therapist at Baylor Scott and White Hillcrest Medical Center.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Norma Gutiérrez-Torres
When it comes to parent involvement, I feel that I have been exposed to every single method and venue: from sitting in a meeting for a couple of hours, to cooking 400 meals, from chaperoning a carwash, to going out of state for a parents leadership conference. With a college graduate and a senior in High School, I have done it all.
I remember when my little girl was ready to start school, I was so eager to find the perfect place for her enrichment, within a nurturing, safe environment. Of course academics were important, but I needed for her to feel accepted and included. I remember visiting more than 10 different schools, even the ones I couldn’t afford. I just needed to see the differences between schools, and I wanted to learn how school administration and other systems worked in general too.
If you are a parent, I’m sure this has happened to you: even if you are educated, you sometimes doubt if you are being a good parent. It happened to me often. It seemed like my nursing degree just helped me when they were sick. At that time I was new in town; I didn’t know how the school system and classrooms functioned yet, and on top of that, I didn’t know the language well.
A wise friend recommended that on my school visits, I check out the bathrooms, observe how people greet each other, and how the kids treat the cafeteria attendant. I encountered all kinds of barriers. In one example, I visited a public school with my five-year old daughter. There, I was treated with welcome by the receptionist, given my visitor badge, and proceeded to tour the school. However, in the hallway, I encountered the principal’s secretary and got the feeling that I was a threat for the school. She looked me up and down, at our shoes, our outfits; I wondered if I wasn’t dressed well enough. Rather than greeting us with a “hello,” she asked what we were doing there. I was painfully aware that I was “different,” a foreigner, a stranger. Through this experience, I didn’t feel that I could fit in some places, and didn’t want my child to have that experience either.
On the other hand, in visiting another possible school, a new charter school, one of the teachers there was so kind. I told her that we spoke Spanish in the home. In learning this, she took about 20 minutes of her time to explain my options for classrooms. She suggested a special kind of language assessment class.
In the end, I did find a perfect fit for our family. I just had to apply, and wait for an opening.
Once at my child’s school, a fellow parent came and talked to me. His child was in my daughter’s class, so we visited, and he asked me if I wanted to be part of the Parent Teacher Association. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I felt afraid and insecure. But I agreed. When I came to my first meeting, I wondered: How I am supposed to help here? It seems that they have everything under control. They even have a list of things I can do. I’ll just write my name next to one and do it. I don’t have to be present or connect with anyone. I could be anonymous. But, I came to find that in addition to my help with school parties and hospitality events, they also valued my ideas and wanted to listen to my thoughts.
After two or three years of involvement in the PTA, that same parent invited me to consider serving in our district chapter of “Parents for Public Schools.”
Serving in our local PPS board, I feel “one of them,” a valued member of the group with different experiences and background. They wanted to hear what I had to say. I came to understand that my contributions were important and necessary for the well-being of the whole community, where we all belong.
If our intention and purposes are for our children – all of them – to have “the best education possible,” not as an academic-focus only, but for them to discover their strengths and weaknesses, to cultivate and nurture their individuality, to develop their social and cultural competence and awareness, and practice their ability to be inclusive of others different from themselves…
Then, the only way to accomplish this is to be intentional about “welcoming the stranger,” creating bridges where there doesn’t seem to be a natural connection. It takes risk to include and care for each other in this way. The aim is to create and tend spaces where we are encouraged to both give and receive – even if you feel like me in the beginning, that you have nothing to contribute.
Norma Gutiérrez-Torres has lived in Waco nearly 20 years. She is an active member of the GEO (Guardians Educators Organization) at Meyer High School in Rapoport Academy, a former PPS (Parents for Public Schools) Board Member, and more than anything she enjoys dancing the night away.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Norma Gutiérrez-Torres
When it comes to parent involvement, I feel that I have been exposed to every single method and venue: from sitting in a meeting for a couple of hours, to cooking 400 meals, from chaperoning a carwash, to going out of state for a parents leadership conference. With a college graduate and a senior in High School, I have done it all.
I remember when my little girl was ready to start school, I was so eager to find the perfect place for her enrichment, within a nurturing, safe environment. Of course academics were important, but I needed for her to feel accepted and included. I remember visiting more than 10 different schools, even the ones I couldn’t afford. I just needed to see the differences between schools, and I wanted to learn how school administration and other systems worked in general too.
If you are a parent, I’m sure this has happened to you: even if you are educated, you sometimes doubt if you are being a good parent. It happened to me often. It seemed like my nursing degree just helped me when they were sick. At that time I was new in town; I didn’t know how the school system and classrooms functioned yet, and on top of that, I didn’t know the language well.
A wise friend recommended that on my school visits, I check out the bathrooms, observe how people greet each other, and how the kids treat the cafeteria attendant. I encountered all kinds of barriers. In one example, I visited a public school with my five-year old daughter. There, I was treated with welcome by the receptionist, given my visitor badge, and proceeded to tour the school. However, in the hallway, I encountered the principal’s secretary and got the feeling that I was a threat for the school. She looked me up and down, at our shoes, our outfits; I wondered if I wasn’t dressed well enough. Rather than greeting us with a “hello,” she asked what we were doing there. I was painfully aware that I was “different,” a foreigner, a stranger. Through this experience, I didn’t feel that I could fit in some places, and didn’t want my child to have that experience either.
On the other hand, in visiting another possible school, a new charter school, one of the teachers there was so kind. I told her that we spoke Spanish in the home. In learning this, she took about 20 minutes of her time to explain my options for classrooms. She suggested a special kind of language assessment class.
In the end, I did find a perfect fit for our family. I just had to apply, and wait for an opening.
Once at my child’s school, a fellow parent came and talked to me. His child was in my daughter’s class, so we visited, and he asked me if I wanted to be part of the Parent Teacher Association. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I felt afraid and insecure. But I agreed. When I came to my first meeting, I wondered: How I am supposed to help here? It seems that they have everything under control. They even have a list of things I can do. I’ll just write my name next to one and do it. I don’t have to be present or connect with anyone. I could be anonymous. But, I came to find that in addition to my help with school parties and hospitality events, they also valued my ideas and wanted to listen to my thoughts.
After two or three years of involvement in the PTA, that same parent invited me to consider serving in our district chapter of “Parents for Public Schools.”
Serving in our local PPS board, I feel “one of them,” a valued member of the group with different experiences and background. They wanted to hear what I had to say. I came to understand that my contributions were important and necessary for the well-being of the whole community, where we all belong.
If our intention and purposes are for our children – all of them – to have “the best education possible,” not as an academic-focus only, but for them to discover their strengths and weaknesses, to cultivate and nurture their individuality, to develop their social and cultural competence and awareness, and practice their ability to be inclusive of others different from themselves…
Then, the only way to accomplish this is to be intentional about “welcoming the stranger,” creating bridges where there doesn’t seem to be a natural connection. It takes risk to include and care for each other in this way. The aim is to create and tend spaces where we are encouraged to both give and receive – even if you feel like me in the beginning, that you have nothing to contribute.
Norma Gutiérrez-Torres has lived in Waco nearly 20 years. She is an active member of the GEO (Guardians Educators Organization) at Meyer High School in Rapoport Academy, a former PPS (Parents for Public Schools) Board Member, and more than anything she enjoys dancing the night away.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Marlayna Botello
As a new young professional in the Waco community, I believe it is my responsibility to make sure that students not only receive the opportunity to achieve their dreams, but also that students know they have a mentor there to support and guide them through any adversity that they may face. My professional role as a Project Link Liaison at University high school is to guide students via one on one advising sessions that target academic success and college readiness and via group sessions. I also conduct activities specific to each student’s grade level to properly prepare them for a successful college experience and career choice.
Project Link
Every student deserves an equal chance of succeeding after high school. Project Link is a new grant-funded collaborative effort under the leadership of Tom Stanton, Executive Director of The Rapoport Foundation and Matthew Polk Executive Director of Prosper Waco. This grant is intended to increase college enrollment and success among Waco-area students. Project Link provides an opportunity for students to receive individual guidance beginning in the 9th grade and continuing to the student’s second year of college.
Project Link’s Mission is to create a college going culture by linking Waco-area students to postsecondary education and workforce opportunities. We are devoted to challenging and supporting students to reach their full potential by advocating success through personal discovery, academic growth, and community involvement. To achieve this, Project Link has provided staff at two local high schools, Waco ISD’s University High School (including myself) and LaVega ISD’s LaVega High School as well as staff at MCC and TSTC to ensure that students have a coach and cheerleader from ninth grade through college.
My role is to work with the students at University High school, and it has been such a blessing. These students are beyond determined to make a name for themselves after high school…we just need to give them a chance. Project Link will give our students the push and motivation to complete the college readiness process. We, as Project Link Liaisons, are excited to see where our students end up in life.
Growing Up in Waco
My passion for the Waco Community grows stronger every year that I live and serve in this city. No city will ever match the wonderful people, the unique beauty, and the family feel of Waco, Texas.
I have lived in Waco all of my life, have developed a pride for my city and want to give back in the biggest way possible. I graduated from Waco high school in 2011 and went on to get my bachelor’s from Baylor University December 2014. I am proud of growing up and continuing my journey in Waco.
Growing Up In Waco ISD
I attended all Waco ISD schools from Pre-k to my senior year of high school. I walked the beautiful halls of Dean Highland Elementary School, Lake Air Middle School, and Waco High School. While attending these schools, I discovered that my life in the Waco Independent School District allowed me to explore diverse educational, cultural, and extracurricular opportunities. My eyes were opened to a world of inspiring classmates and educators. At this time in my life I have discovered that I would have never become the individual that I am today without growing up in Waco ISD.
Waco ISD has a very special place in my heart. I believe that the time I spent in Waco ISD revealed the abundance of potential that the young people of this district possess. This experience has inspired me to help our students believe that their life goals and dreams are obtainable and can in fact become a reality.
How Can You Help? Invest In Our Youth Today
If we as a community want change our city, we need to invest our lives in inspiring change in the societal barriers that exist in our education system. I admit, like many others, that at times I find myself getting so caught up in the selfishness of my life that I don’t realize that there are thousands of students that are going to bed hungry, or are working two jobs to support their families in my own city. This is the same city that I take so much pride in. How can we say we are proud when we let things like this happen in our community everyday? Many of us need to think about how we can be a helping hand to the community today. How can we change lives for the better? It starts with our youth. It should be everyone’s priority to invest in our youth to ensure that our city continues to excel.
How can you help today? Step inside the walls of our public schools right now and volunteer. And when you volunteer, don’t only observe our students, but interact with them. Ask them how they are doing. Ask them how classes are going. Ask them about their struggles. I have learned that all our students look for in an adult is someone that cares. Caring creates trust, which will make a big impact in our student’s lives. Why? Because, they aren’t used to that kind of treatment from society. They are not used to being treated like they belong.
Finally, I would ask you consider the misrepresentation of these students, whose daily struggles surpass anything you could ever imagine a 4-18 year old would experience. There is so much work to be done in our community before we can change the world, but it will take the entire community to make these changes.
I am very thankful to be a part of the Project Link Program. The amount of support that we are receiving from other organizations and institutions is just astounding. We are ready to get our students started on the right path to success! You can help make that goal a reality!
Be proud of where you came from and strive to make your home a better place.
Marlayna Botello is a Project Link Liaison at University High School. Born and raised in Waco, Marlayna is a proud graduate of Waco ISD schools and Baylor University. She just purchased her first home and plans to continue to support her Baylor Bears for many years to come! Sic ’em!
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information
by C J Wood
Often when people think of treating mental health disorders they think of medicine and therapy. These two things are only part of what is needed for someone to thrive again. Just as with any other disease, recovery includes caring for the body, mind, and spirit. This works best in the context of community.
As someone who has a mental health disorder, the first step towards instability is losing my routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time, eating healthy meals at regularly scheduled times, and taking my medication on a regular basis all impact my ability to cope with my symptoms. Friends and family can support these habits by understanding their importance. Not giving a person a hard time when they won’t stay out late or eating healthy meals with a person helps them not feel isolated.
Being a gatekeeper is a crucial role for friends and family to play. Being a gatekeeper often looks like a bodyguard. For a spouse, it can mean allowing your partner to take a nap or excusing yourselves from a social function. Friends can also help a friend exit overwhelming situations like needing to leave in the middle of a movie or in the middle of grocery shopping. Being a gatekeeper ultimately means being present and aware. It does not mean making the person a project.
I do not know how I would have made it through a very rough patch without my friend Megan. She was a gatekeeper for me but she also allowed me to reciprocate by supporting her and being present in whatever capacity I could. Often that meant helping put her kids to bed and reading bedtime stories to them. She also knew not to ask me, “Have you been taking your medication?” She identified symptoms and asked about them. She asked open ended questions like “How are you feeling today?” Or stated an observation like “You seem a bit anxious today? What’s going on?” She knew I could have a bad day unrelated to my mental health disorder. Megan also pointed out when I was doing well. I had dinner with her family at least once a week. She offered me community and friendship.
As a person who shared my faith, Megan gave me the space and grace to not attend church. She understood how stress inducing this could be. She did cultivate and encourage opportunities that connected me to my faith community and God outside traditional rituals and expectations.
Community is essential to holistic recovery. It provides the scaffolding of grace, hope, and encouragement to support the other aspects of recovery. It celebrates what a person can do no matter how small like getting out of bed and brushing your teeth. It prevents isolation and can lessen stigma. No one can recover alone.
C J Wood lives in San Antonio, TX, where she works as a Resident Chaplain for the Baptist Health System. She lived in Waco while attending Truett Seminary where she earned her MDiv. CJ then went on to teach 3rd grade for Waco ISD before moving to India to work as an education consultant. Most recently CJ worked for AVANCE-Waco. She is currently working on her DMin in Formational Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. She is the proud aunt of 2 nieces and 5 god children. CJ loves her Lhasa Apso Jasmine Rose who she brought back from India.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information
By Ashley Bean Thornton
September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month. This month of celebrating Hispanic culture was established in 1988, but this is the first year that I have taken the opportunity to enjoy some of the local festivities associated with it. So far I have been to two events.
Fiestas Patrias at the Extraco Center
One was the big “Fiestas Patrias” celebration at the Extraco Event Center. As I neared the event center I noticed the parking lot was packed and there was a line of cars waiting to get in. The floor of the arena looked like an ocean of people all having fun and enjoying a great night of music and mass togetherness. Congratulations to the folks who hosted this Fiesta! It was literally a “huge” success.
One of the first and most obvious ways to judge an event is number of participants. The automatic assumption is if it’s bigger, that’s better. Having a lot of people means you can afford flashy, expensive stuff – the hottest band, the lights, the smoke, the fireworks. As Waco grows we’ll have more of these kinds of events, and good for us, because they are really fun!
That brings me to the other event I have attended as part of my personal celebration of National Hispanic American Heritage Month. On September 16, I went to a wonderful gathering at the Centex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. September 16, as I’m sure you know, is Mexican Independence Day. The Hispanic Chamber, along with a group who is working to put together a Waco Hispanic Museum, hosted an event to commemorate The “Grito de Dolores.” I didn’t know what that was, but thanks to the wonders of Wikipedia, I was able to educate myself a little bit: “The Grito de Dolores (“Cry of Dolores”) was uttered from the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato in Mexico, on September 16, 1810. It is the event that marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. The “grito” was the pronunciamiento of the Mexican War of Independence by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Roman Catholic priest.”
Louis enjoys a cookie!
It was a small gathering. I think there were probably 12 or 15 of us. Our hosts, Alice and Joe Rodriguez, pulled a folding table into the front lobby of the Hispanic Chamber building on LaSalle. They covered it with red and green table cloths to match the Mexican flag and scattered mementos to commemorate the occasion – historical pictures of the Mexican American Community of Waco, a doll in traditional Mexican dress, a poster commemorating the heroes of the revolution. There was cake and Dr Pepper, and someone had made some delicious little cookies that tasted like shortbread with cinnamon and sugar.
Pretty soon we were snapping pictures and laughing together. Someone ran out to the car and grabbed a guitar and several folks joined in to sing a few songs. I got a narrated tour of a scrapbook full of memories. Most of the pictures were from the 70’s and 80’s, so I got to see several of my new friends in their younger days — darker, longer hair and much shorter shorts! Louis Garcia, Chairman of the Waco Hispanic Museum, read a history of the “Grito de Dolores.”
Ernesto and Miguel sing us a song.
After the revolutionary history lesson, we settled into a different kind of history lesson – stories. I learned about how the September 16 celebration in Waco used to last four days. There would be parades and dances at the Mutualista Hall. Neighbors would enjoy snacks from the “puestos” (concession stands, food trucks). When the children got hot and sweaty they would take a dip in “La Pila,” the fountain that was the hub of the Calle Dos (Second Street) Mexican American community.
It’s easy to see that big events like the “Fiestas Patrias” celebration at the event center, or the recent Brad Paisley concert at Baylor, or even the Palm Sunday “Gathering” last year are important. They are exciting. They make a big splash. They give us all a shared experience. They bring good publicity to our city. I appreciate the people who put them on, and I look forward to more of them in the future.
I also want to say a big thank you to the folks in town who are hosting and organizing smaller events — the “Grito de Dolores” celebrations, the Waco Poets Society open mic nights, the Community Race Relations Coalition meetings – events where groups of 10 to 30 people gather. These smaller events help us get to know each other. They provide a time and place for building the kind of understanding that only comes from learning each other’s names and listening to each others’ stories.
The big gatherings help us wave our Waco flag proudly for everyone to see. In these small get-togethers we weave the cloth of our community, thread by thread.
Are you looking for ways to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage month? There are lots of things going on in Waco through the rest of September and on into November. For more information visit the ¡Viva Waco! website at www.creativewaco.org/vivawaco. If you are interested in learning more about the Waco Hispanic Museum or getting involved, please contact Louis Garcia by email at [email protected].
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, the Manager of the www.www.actlocallywaco.org website and the editor of the Friday Update newsletter: The WHOLE Enchilada. The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By Diego Loredo
“If you want to go to college, make sure you apply for tons of scholarships!”
You’ve probably heard it before right? Although it may get annoying, it is no doubt extremely important. Then again, winning scholarships are easier said than done. You may think that you’re not good enough or smart enough, I thought the same thing when I was in high school, but trust me it is possible.
I’ve been in the same position that many high school seniors and aspiring college freshmen may be in right now. “How am I supposed to win scholarships to pay for my college education?” I constantly worried about it during and after school. Eventually, I went to my counselor (shout out to Mrs. Place at UHS!) and asked her how I can apply for scholarships. She provided me with a list of scholarships and told me where I can go to apply for them.
After finding out about all of these scholarships, I applied away. I applied online, applied to the scholarships on the list Mrs. Place gave me, and continued to search for other scholarships. Overall, I applied for over 10 different scholarships. My hard work eventually payed off and I ended up winning three scholarships: the Brazos Education Foundation Scholarship ($4,000), the A.J. Moore Business Advisory Board Scholarship ($1,000), and the Top 10% Scholarship ($600).
The scholarship that helped me the most was the Brazos Education Foundation Scholarship. I won $4,000, the most out of all of my scholarships. The money is renewable for my four years in college, with $3,000 going towards my tuition and fees and $1,000 going towards textbooks. I was also given a mentor who gives me advice and helps me throughout college (shout out to my mentor Phillip Applebaum!).
Words cannot explain how much the Brazos Education Foundation has helped me. They provide useful workshops that help us in certain aspects ranging from study tips to health insurance, host fun events, and are always willing to help me out.
Now you’re probably wondering, “How is this supposed to help me win scholarships?” Well, while applying for these scholarships I made sure I followed these five important guidelines that have helped me and will no doubt help other students looking for scholarships:
Ask your Counselor!
Your counselor will probably be your best source for finding scholarships. If you are ever having trouble at figuring out what to apply for, just head to your counselor’s office and he/she can help you find a good starting point. And not just for scholarships, your counselor will be the main person helping you when preparing for college. For example, your counselor can provide you with a waiver and advice for the SAT, Scholastic Assessment Test, (which is required for most colleges). Whether it’s for scholarships or college prep, your counselor’s office should be the first place to go for help.
Check online!
Another great source for finding scholarships are right on your computer. There are a ton of great scholarships and grants available online, you just need to know where to look. One great source is www.collegeboard.org. You’ll need to make an account on College Board anyway to register for the SAT. College Board has a great feature where you can search for dozens of scholarships, which shows information on what the scholarship is, whether or not you qualify for it, and how to apply. College Board is also a great place to help you prepare for college. College Planning, a feature on College Board, can help you explore what kind of career you want to pursue, search for colleges, and provide information on the cost of attending college.
Make connections!
I cannot stress this enough. Making the right connections can help you increase your chances to win scholarships. Become well acquainted with your counselor, do internships, and get to know those who are providing scholarships. Doing this helped me win the Brazos Education Foundation Scholarship. I did an internship for them the summer before my senior year. This helped me because I already knew them when I was interviewed and it also helped them since they already knew who I was.
Practice writing essays!
This may seem boring but it is necessary. Most scholarships will require an essay or two along with the application. The essays in the application become a big factor in the selection process. Let me say that again, it is a HUGE factor in selecting who will receive the scholarship. English was my strongest subject and I loved writing essays so it was easy for me to write them. It was also one of the main reasons why I won the Brazos Education Foundation Scholarship.
Apply, apply, apply!
Apply to as many scholarships as you can. Here, enough is never enough. I applied for 10+ scholarships and won three. That may not seem like much but, along with financial aid, those scholarships are paying for my college expenses. You should aim for 5-10 scholarships, and more if you can. Trust me on this, you need to apply to as much as you can to increase your chances of winning.
Applying for scholarships is not easy. It takes a lot of persistence. You must be prepared to write essays, have interviews, and getting good grades doesn’t hurt either. But it is possible to win scholarships if you do the right things. These guidelines that I provided cannot guarantee that you will win a scholarship, but it will help. Even after winning scholarships, don’t stop there. Continue to search for some during college. There are a countless amount of scholarships and grants available to college students. I did that and managed to get into a program that pays for my college tuition. If you have the right resources, you will be more than prepared to apply for scholarships and find ways to pay for college. You can do it!
Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Saddiq Granger
Miscommunication leads to complication-
There come many paths
But you must choose one
and if you don’t choose then the rain soon come
See you might win some but you just lost one. –Ms. Lauryn Hill
I wouldn’t know where to start to make people understand these issues. They are so broad, so old, and yet so new and personal. The story of who I am, not just personally, but globally and throughout all time is not one I could tell in just one sitting.
To be mis-educated is to be done a disservice.
It is not the fault of the student, but it can wreak unknown and often unwanted havoc in a pupil’s life. Just as we receive an education in our learning institutes, we are also daily educated by our environment; our entire being is a result of our environment.
Personally, I was born in the projects of North Philly. When people talk about the ghetto they are speaking of me and the people I grew up with. I mostly went to Muslim school in accordance with my parents’ religion. Both in school and at home I was learning about what it means to be black and what it means to be African. I was taught about the African holocaust; African luminaries and scholars; black writers, artists, and musicians. But, it wasn’t until I went to public school that I had an idea of what it meant to be an American.
I remember sitting in history class, looking at the teacher as if he had sprouted an extra head.
It wasn’t just the shift in content, tone and perspective had also completely shifted. People I knew as heroes were now the bad guys; villains were lauded.
I remember once raising my hand and making a clarifying point about first wave immigrants from Europe and their interactions with the native population. I was immediately placated. It struck me then that perhaps not only was this new education different, but it might also be unwelcome to challenge or change. In this same vein I was learning about Greece and the government systems and their scholars, but not the Egyptians from whom they studied. I was learning about the equality of man and the greatness of our founding fathers, but not the perseverance of my forefathers who also helped to found this country.
Needless to say this new Euroccentric paradigm was completely alien to me. I became painfully aware of the lack of knowledge of African art, history, culture and tradition. I couldn’t find a shred of this information in the students, and not just white students, but also the people who looked like me.
Now, I attempt to combat this miseducation anywhere that I see it. Not because I’m more educated than anyone, but because I am just as miseducated as anyone, and only by talking it through can we see where our paths differ and which is right if any.
It can be frustrating at times. If you feel like you are already in the middle of the book, it is frustrating to have to turn back a few pages to catch people up. But if we are to ever understand each other as a species regardless of race, creed, color, religion or orientation it starts with communication and actively combating our American Mis-education.
Saddiq Granger is a native Philadelphian, violinist and aspiring community organizer now residing in Waco, Texas.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.