Students
succeed with migrant program
By Sonya Smith
On-line Forty-Niner
Gabriela
Alonso grew up working as migrant farm worker.
She never knew her dad, her mom died from
complications from diabetes during Alonsos
junior year in high school and she was left
adopting her younger sister.
I
never thought I was going to make it, said
the now third year communications major.
She
now aspires to work with higher education
students, such as migrant farm worker children
like herself, and works with the Los Angeles
County Migrant Program.
The
College Assistant Migrant Program is the
step that helped Alonso get to where she
is today. The program was established at
Cal State Long Beach three years ago in
order to help the children of migrant farm
workers be successful and graduate from
the university, said Vivian Barrera, CAMP
director. The program is one of nine programs
in California, along with 80 programs offered
throughout the United States to help migrant
workers.
CAMP
first recruits students at the high school
level and helps them through their freshmen
year. Incentives include: financial grants
of up to $400, leadership training and opportunities,
assistance finding housing, academic advising,
and classes offered through EOP and Student
Services, Barrera said.
Barrera
said students are evaluated based on their
situation and must be legal citizens, and
not evaluated by their ethnicity or financial
situation. A migrant farm worker is one
who works in the agriculture industry, which
may include dairy, poultry and tree harvesting.
The
work is hard and the workers have no benefits
or disability, Barrera said. I admire
the families that do this.
Fifty
percent of migrant farm worker children
do not even graduate from high school, Barrera
said. These children have trouble obtaining
an education because their families often
relocate, and since families get paid by
the amount collected; the children often
work in the fields before the minimum age
of 14.
Another
problem these students face is that about
88 percent of those from migrant farm worker
families are the first generation to go
into higher education.
I
think I have the best job, Barrera said.
I came from a low income past
it is nice
to give back.
First
year computer engineering and theater major
Raul Granados has been with the program
since this past summer.
It
is helping me prepare a lot of leadership
skills, Granados said. [The program] does
not just help you with money, but they are
here for you in any way possible
it is
like my second home.
In
April, the program is planning a Cesar Chavez
celebration including movies, entertainment
and cultural information, Barrera said.
Also in the spring is an awareness symposium
for high school students and their parents
to learn about college.
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