The Plaza Comunitaria – or community plaza – is a program initiated by the Mexican Consulate to give former citizens of Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries the opportunity to complete their primaria and secundaria through online classes.
“The better educated our parents are, the better role models they can be for our students,” Superintendent John Folks said. “In Northside, we believe in life-long learning.”
In addition to Folks, those who attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Northside Learning Center Friday included Patricia Ramos, director of international affairs at the Instituto Naciónal de Educacion para Adultos; Martha Lara, ambassador for the Mexican Consulate in San Antonio; and Lydia Martinez, director of Adult and Community Education at Northside.
Martinez said the hope is Plaza participants also will become computer literate, learn English and then pursue an American GED, Martinez said. So far, 20 students have signed up, and the District has enough space for 24 more.
“It has been so wonderful to see how they place a value on education,” Martinez said. “There’s a reason they’re in the United States and it’s because they value education.”
One of the students, Maria de la Peña, said she’s thrilled she has the chance to return to school and broaden her education.
“The instructors are very good and have excellent character, which makes it easier for us to understand this course,” she said. “I think that, little by little, I am getting back into studying. Continuing to study will allow me to get into college.”
The Plaza is free for participants. Under the terms of the partnership, Mexican educational agencies provide the curriculum and materials, and Northside provides a computer lab and staff facilitators. Northside received a grant from the Instituto de Los Mexicanos en el Exterior as well as donations from USAA and Valero to fund the program locally.
Dozens of Plaza Comunitarias are already established across the United States, and the Harlandale Independent School District opened a site earlier this year. Northside’s program has a unique component, Martinez said, because the District also is providing parenting education through Northside’s Precious Minds, New Connections program.
For more information about the Plaza Comunitaria or Adult and Community Education, call 397-8107.
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