Parent Leader Says Education Essential for Hispanics

By Reporter Lourdes Muñoz

Efrén Licea works hard in the fields and at home to make his dream come true - his dream that his children will graduate from college and not have to work in the fields like he is. Licea

That, he says, is their inheritance.

"We do not have any money. We are not leaving more inheritance than education," he says. "For my wife and I, this is the most precious legacy.

"The target for them is the university. That is my vision, my goal, my dream," Efrén says. Once they graduate "I will say, 'My job is done.'"

Efrén is persuaded that Hispanics can accomplish anything they want - if they get the education they need. Without education, he fears his people "have no future."

"Hispanic parents do not pay enough attention to our children's education," he says.

Efrén is president of the Yakima School District's Parent Advisory Council. His wife, Enedina, former PAC vice president, shares Efrén's sense of mission as he tries to get more parents involved in the education process.

"We work together. When one of us cannot attend a meeting, the other brings the information," he says.

He urges other Hispanic parents to attend meetings and support their children, too.

"If we do not attend the meetings very often, we are left behind, and this stimulates school dropouts," Efrén says. "I constantly tell parents how important education is. There is nothing more important than that."

Efrén asks Hispanic parents not to be discouraged and to keep going, supporting their children.

"Do not leave them alone. Take them by the hand. Get involved with teachers, schools, and the whole educational system," he says.

Efrén is happy that efforts to increase parent involvement in Yakima are paying off. This year the district's Spanish Community Forum and the PAC have been combined and have been drawing over 1,000 parents to each meeting.

Dr. Nicolás Zavala was assigned by the district to work with the Hispanic parents and school staff to increase parent and community involvement. His department works collaboratively with other district staff to send out letters, fliers and make phone calls to promote participation in the parent meetings.

PAC officers gather regularly to plan the meetings. "It is very important not to neglect these aspects. The attendance depends on it," Efrén says.

But students' success also depends on what parents do, he says. And Efrén and Enedina try to practice what they preach.

The Liceas have two sons -- Alejandro, a sixth-grader at Franklin Elementary, and Héctor, a fourth-grader at Martin Luther King Elementary.

"The most important thing for me is to have my two sons study. I always tell them education is the most valuable and important thing in life," says Efrén. "They are doing well. I am proud of their performance."

When Alejandro was in fourth grade "he was among the four students passing the WASL's four tests," Efrén says proudly. "Alejandro's average is over 3.0. Héctor is doing well, too. He is in the Magnet program."

The Liceas try to give their children their full support.

"I go to their schools and attend the meetings," says Efrén. "At home they have an appropriate space to study and do their homework. I help them. I never 'give them a brake,' as we say. I am always asking about school, what is going on down there, what they want us parents to do to change things they do not like. We have very good communication."

Efrén feels it's important for parents to pay attention to their children's educational needs.

"We parents do not pay enough attention to what is happening to them. They want more attention -- more participation from us. When they ask for help with their assignments, we do not know how to help them. But instead of looking for someone who can help, parents get angry and scold their children, saying, 'Don't ask me!'"

A major obstacle for Hispanic parents is the language, Efrén says.

" Since we did not speak English, most Mexican parents that immigrate to this country do not go to the ir children's schools, they do not get close to the teachers ," he says.

"We are afraid not to understand or not to be understood. We are not able to communicate our opinion," he says. "This is a huge obstacle. It was to me. I do not want it to happen to my children."

Efrén wants to make sure his children can communicate well in both their native and adopted languages.

"This is why I want my children to learn English and Spanish at the same time. I don't want them to forget Spanish. At home we do our best to practice Spanish. We want them to learn both languages.

"Sometimes it is difficult," he says. "Sometimes they don't want to speak Spanish. My wife and I work hard to make sure they are bilingual, and it seems like we are achieving it ."

Efrén feels they were lucky to have their children learn to read in Spanish before learning English. When their children were in kindergarten at Martin Luther King Elementary, the teacher offered the Liceas the option to teach the children to read in Spanish or in English.

"We chose Spanish first, since it is their native language. We considered it would be easier for them to learn to read in this language. This turned out to be a success . When the transition to English took place in the first two grades of elementary school, it was really easy for them to learn English," he says.

Efrén was born in Tecalitlán, a small town in Jalisco, México, but he grew up in Guadalajara. He emigrated to the United States in 1979 to work in the fields. He went back to his homeland and got married in 1987 and came back to America with his wife that same year.

"I keep on working in agriculture . I worked as steward for eight years in different companies. At present I work as sprayer for Smith Orchards," he says.

"My wife works, too. She works for the community shelter. They help women, teach Spanish and English, take care of children, and help poor people, giving them money," he says.

Enedina is the children's area coordinator at the shelter.

Efrén migrated to seasonal work for many years. He worked in Cowiche, Mattawa, Sunnyside, Yakima and Tampico areas, but he has tried to stay near Yakima as much as possible now that his sons are in school.

"I have not migrated too much the last two years," he says.

Now his focus is on his children's future.

"We have to be informed on the career options we have for our kids. We must know where support and help are available. That is why we must get involved and attend the meetings. It is sad that for lack of information many children have to stop their schooling," he points out.

His goal is that his children graduate from a university and pursue their highest career dreams.

"I am doing my best to help them reach this goal, to make this dream come true. I have sown the seed to help them succeed in higher education, not only high school," he says.

Alejandro, his oldest son, says he wants to become a doctor, a surgeon. But he is not sure which medical specialty he will pursue.

Hector is still unsure . He has said he would like to become a cartoonist or a writer. "But kids have second thoughts every day," says Efrén, laughing.

He shares his vision with other Hispanic parents. He inspires them to participate more in the meetings and to be informed about where to look for support so their children will be ready when it comes time to attend college.

"It is a dream we pursue when coming to this country. Our efforts are to make this dream come true, get our kids educated and achieve a career. We cannot attain this leaving them alone. We must work together -- parents, teachers and children," Efrén says.

"We are talking about our future here, and the future is education," he emphasizes.

Efrén encourages all parents to participate more in the ir children's education.

"I wonder why the Hispanics do not participate in the committees. I do not know the reason," he says, although he too, at times, has been limited by his work demands.

His wife was the first to participate in the Parent Advisory Council.

"She was always urging me to be part of it. But it was Paula Mora [now a member of the State Migrant Education Advisory Committee] who integrated me as a member of PAC," he says.

If he could talk to all Hispanic children, Efrén says he would encourage them to do their best and stay in school -- not to drop out for any reason.

"It is worth the effort and the sacrifice . When they grow up, they will need to be prepared. They are the future of the Hispanic community and of this country," he says.