Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 19, 2004 Page: 2 of 6
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The Rio Grande Herald-Thursday, February 19,2004, Page 2
Encuentro con Profesores
focuses on family support
Methods to improve student
retention have always been a
priority for institutions of higher
education, but now two instructors
from the South Texas Community
College Starr County Campus have
successfully pulled-off what seems
to be a unique approach they call
Encuentro con Profesores or
"Colloquium with Instructors." The
encuentro was held recently at the
STCC Starr County Campus.
For many years. David Lung,
developmental math instructor and
Auristela Lung, education/College
Success instructor have pondered
different ways to reach their
students in an effort to improve
student retention and success at the
Starr County Campus. The result
was Encuentro con Profesores.
With support from the campus
coordinator Ruben Saenz, and
much needed help from Joel
Villarreal, from the Counseling and
Advising department and Ger
Veglia, they packed in an audience
of nearly 200 parents and students.
Encuentro con Profesores was
designed to complete the support
system between STCC instructors,
students and parents. Saenz
welcomed the parents and spouses
and explained to them the purpose
of the meeting. He stressed that
college students, especially those
living at home with their parents or
with their spouses, need a strong
support system in order to
maximize success in their studies.
"Consistent encouragement and
expectations for success are key
factors in motivating students to
succeed," said Saenz.
Veglia spoke of traditional jobs
in the Valley and the changing face
of American occupations. Villarreal
outlined to parents the economic
benefits of a college education,
while Lung spoke in Spanish
directly to the parents in the
audience about the support all
college students need at school as
well as home.
Veglia thundered of traditional
agricultural labor jobs in the Rio
Grande City area that are being
replaced by knowledge-based
occupations that require a degree of
higher education. He stressed to
parents the importance of their
children gaining a solid college
education so that they can break
away from these traditional field
labor jobs and obtain an occupation
that pays well while continuing
their education at any university
across the country.
"We have a unique population
of students at our campus in that
nearly all are first generation
college students," said Lung. "This
means that parents of these students
are not aware of the commitment
needed to complete a course of
study."
"This is not to suggest that a
parent is not interested, but rather
they do not know how to help their
student be successful in college,"
Lung added.
Lung offered basic insights to
parents such as allowing students to
spend more time in a private area at
home to study, and how to find
help through services offered at the
Starr County Campus.
Lung concluded the event for
parents by offering an interview
with a Starr County Campus
student who has experienced
success while in college. The
speech had the audience nodding
their heads in agreement while
lauding the student for her
sacrifices made in the name of
higher education.
In the end, the audience was
convinced that higher education
was indeed a sacrifice well worth
the effort.
Positive reaction letters from
students are far too many to include
in the space allowed here, but
affirmation that Encuentro con
Profesores accomplished its goal of
helping the families of students
better understand the implications
of college life was expressed in the
following excerpts.
One student wrote, "The
presentation ... was very
informative." My mother and
stepfather attended the presentation
with me and they liked the
presentation.... My stepfather on
the other hand only has an eighth^
grade education, but he learned a
lot about the importance of study
time for students to succeed in
college.... I believe that the
presentation was very helpful for
all students and their loved ones."
Another student wrote, "My
mom's reaction about the
colloquium with instructors was a
very pleasant one. She learned a lot
about how to give me time to do
my homework. What I think myself
is that it was such a good idea to do
this because I saw my mom's good
reaction towards everything that
was said."
The event ended with a social
hour between instructors, parents
and students over refreshments
provided by Saenz. Overall this
was a very successful event that
brought together for the first time
all of the elements necessary to
help first generation students be
successful in college.
***
Creativity in science could be
described as the act of putting
two and two together to make
five.
—Arthur Koestler
Fair Planners Encourage Participation
The Homemaking Division Leaders of the Starr County Fair have conducted several meetings recently to plan
events associated with the Fair, set for March 5-7. They have scheduled Clothing (sewing) for Monday, March
I; Educational Posters, March 2; Adult and Senior Citizen Arts and Crafts, March 4, Baking and Decorated
Baking, March 5; and Youth Arts and Crafts, March 5. Pictured are, seated l-r, Tissa Peterson, Armandina B.
Villarreal, and Yolanda Morado, coordinator; standing l-r. Maria G. Cruz, Ninfa G. Lopez, Maggie Requenez,
and Celinda Alvarado. Several committee members are not pictured, including Chairmen Emma Gonzalez,
Clothing, and Elsa Villarreal-Garcia, Baking/Decorated Baking. Tanya Villarreal is also helping coordinate the
efforts of the committee.
Educational Poster Contest to
be part of 2004 County Fair
Senator Judith Zaffirini:
The 2004 Starr County Fair will
feature an Educational Poster
Contest to be held on Tuesday,
March 2, at the Starr County
Fairgrounds.
The contest is divided into three
divisions: senior division, grades 9-
12; junior division, grades 3-8; and
clover division, Pre-K through 2nd
grade. All participants must be
students in Starr County schools.
Entries will be in six categories,
which are the same for all age
groups: Category 1 -Nutrition;
A Proven Champion
for South Texas Families!
OUR STRONG AND INDEPENDENT VOICE IN AUSTIN:
* Career-long 100 percent attendance and voting records from January, 1987, through the 2003 Regular Legisla-
tive Session; cast 29,617 consecutive votes during nine regular and 14 special sessions. Broke her records to go
to Albuquerque and fight tor her constituents.
* Sponsored and passed 457 bills and 45 substantive resolutions and co-sponsored and passed another 208 bills.
* First Hispanic woman senator in Texas and to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate and as
Governor for a Day.
* Legislative victories include passing bills to reduce paperwork for teachers; provide zero-interest college loans
and forgiving them for students who arc graduated timely with a B average; immunize all Texas children;
reform Medicaid and simplify eligibility; suspend the licenses of drunk drivers; promote dual language pro-
grams; keep radioactive waste out of SD 21; stop the proliferation of colonias; restrict minors' access to
tobacco; and reform indigent health care, welfare, nursing homes, adoption and child support.
* Vice-chair of Senate Finance Committee; Member, Legislative Budget Board; Senate Committees on I .duca
tion; Health and Human Services; International Relations and Trade; Appropriations Conference Committee;
Joint Interim Committee on Higher Education; and Legislative Oversight Committee on Higher Education.
* A leader of "The Texas 11," spending 45 days in Albuquerque with other Senate Democrats fighting the
Republicans' redistricting plan and protecting the voting rights of 1.3 million minority Texans.
AWARD-WINNING LAWMAKER:
* More than 450 awards and honors in legislative, public service and professional arenas.
* Named in her honor are United ISD's Senator Judith Zaffirini Elementary School. Laredo Community College's
Senator Judith Zaffirini Library, Lake Casa Blanca International State Park's Senator Judith
Zaffirini Road and the Judith Zaffirini Woman's Program in Edinburg that helps women fight
drug addictions.
* Named one of Texas' "10 Best Legislators" by Texas Monthly. 1997, 2001.
Friend of Business and Texas Heroine, Texas Chamber of Commerce.
* Friend of Education, Texas Classroom Teachers Association.
* Named Distinguished Alumna by The University of Texas, 2003.
*"100 Texas Women of the Century," Women's Chamber of Commerce of Texas.
EDUCATOR, BUS I NESS PERSON, WIFE AND
MOTHER:
* Award-winning communications specialist with 13 years of teaching experience.
Owner, Zaffirini Communications.
*BS, MA, PhD degrees, each with a 3.9 CPA
from The University of Texas at Austin.
w
* Married 39 years to Carlos Zaffirini.
Carlos Jr. is a first-year student at the
UT School of Law.
* Democrat. Elected Texas Senator.
District 21, in 1986. Re-elected in
1990, 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2002 in land-
slide victories, carrying every county with
margins as high as 90 percent.
,.e\eV
Judith
Rrjliticiil advertisement paid for
by Judith Zamrini for Senator Campaign,
Vicente Oar/a. Treasurer.
PO. Box 627, Laredo, Texas 700*2. 96(3/724-8379
lfr
Category 2-Drugs or Alcohol
Prevention; Category
3-Health/Personal Hygiene;
Category 4 Conservation of the
Environment; Category
5-Citizenship and Patriotism
(America or Texas); Category
6-Sa fety.
The following information
should be on the back of the poster:
name of exhibitor, name of school,
4-H club, FFA or FHA chapter, or
organization (scouts, etc.); town
where exhibitor goes to school;
grade exhibitor is in at school;
division (sr., jr., clover); category
(one of the six above). None of this
information should be on the front
of the poster. Entries not labeled
properly may be disqualified.
Schools, 4-H clubs, and other
organizations need to have their
own poster contest in advance of the
contest date. They can award prizes
and have their own display of
winners. They should then bring
their top ten winners in each of the
age divisions to the fairgrounds
coliseum between 10:30 a.m. and
12:30 noon on Tuesday, March 2,
for participation in the county fair.
A school or club with grades
spanning two age divisions may
bring ten posters for each age
division. For example, elementary
schools may bring ten from the
The
Rio Grande
Herald
(USPS 466-200)
Pearl Austin Mathis
Publisher
Published weekly for 15 70 per year in Stan
County and 18 75 per year out-of-county b> Rio
Giande Herald Publishing Co. Inc Pearl Austin
Mathis, President Publisher, Travis A Mathis
and Will N Mathis, co-owners, 215 E
University Drive, Edinburg, Icxas 78539
Periodicals postage paid at Rio Grande City
Texas POSTMASTER Send
Editor
KENNETH ROBERTS
Advertising
CHRISTIAN SALINAS
clover division (PK-2) and ten from
the junior division (grades 3-6).
Posters should be no bigger than
a standard size poster 28" x 22", but
they may be smaller, including half-
poster size. Minimum poster size is
8 Vi x 1 I inches (construction paper
size).
Registration of the entries will be
done by members of the committee
as they are brought to the fairground
building. A $2.00 entry fee will be
collected for each entry. Entries will
be tagged, and entry numbers will be
issued to each participant. No
entries will be accepted after the
designated acceptance hours unless
they were already waiting in line.
Each po< t will receive a ribbon,
and the juages will select a Top
Winner and Runner Up in each
category of each division. They will
then select the Grand Champion
from the i op Winners. The Reserve
Champion will be selected from the
remaining Top Winners as well as
the Runner Up in the Grand
Champion's category . Some posters
from each division will be selected
to be displayed throughout the fair.
The committee will decide which
posters will be displayed, as space
allows. All other posters will need
to be picked up at 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday.
Barrera
Elementary
takes Reading
Challenge
By
Ricky Perez
RIF (Reading is Fundamental)
and the Metlife Foundation invited
schools nationwide to participate in
"Read With Me The 2003 RIF
Community Challenge This two-
week, mid-winter reading challenge
fosters a new generation of lifelong
readers by having children read for
fun and involving families and
(See BARRERA, Pagt6)
ATTN: Rattler Fans,
The Rio Grande City Quarterback Club will start having meetings every
Tuesday at the old RGC Fieldhouse starting 02/17/04. Meetings will start
at 6:30pm These meetings are open to the public. Once again meetings
will be eveiy Tuesday.
CmO RIO'
Vote Early, Feb. 23 - March 5,
or on Election Day, Tuesday, March 9.
i mtu-j
I
.
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Roberts, Kenneth. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 19, 2004, newspaper, February 19, 2004; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth196256/m1/2/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.