COUNTYWIDE PROGRAM COMPLETES ITS SEVENTH SUMMER

“We are all born creators,” Luis Valdez told a group assembled July 30 for the closing ceremonies of the Migrant Junior Otter program at CSU Monterey Bay. “From the instant of your birth, creativity flows out of you as easily as breath.”

Valdez, playwright, director and founder of El Teatro Campesino and an original faculty member at CSUMB, spoke to an audience of several hundreds youngsters, their parents, teachers and administrators from the Monterey County Office of Education.

A collaboration among CSUMB, MCOE and El Teatro, the Junior Otter program involves youngsters in grades four through nine from school districts throughout Monterey County.

Each day during July, the youngsters came to campus – from as far away as San Ardo – where they received instruction in language arts and math in the morning. Every afternoon, they participated in theater activities, including music, dance and art, taught by staff members of El Teatro.

The idea is not just to offer enrichment classes for migrant students, who have different needs than students who stay in one place, but also to show them that college is a possibility.

“This is a special program because it includes a pathway to the university that includes artistic expression,” said MCOE administrator Faris Sabbah. “The idea is to help students find their cultural identity . . . and think of themselves not only as students but as university students.”

After the opening remarks, the youngsters showed off their work. This year’s theme was “family.” The younger students performed “corridos” or ballads around the theme. The older students made a four-minute video.

“Let us release the power of the imagination of our niños,” Valdez said. “The future belongs to those who can imagine it.”