Idaho: Stay In School Quinceañera Program

If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I've written about the Stay in School Quinceañera Program before. Well, since then, I've been asked to be on the board of directors and the program has expanded and is currently also taking place in Garden City. I didn't write much about the program last time since I was not as familiar with it. Now that I've been a part of it for two years I can tell you a little bit more about it. The program was started by Ana Maria Schachtell, of Boise, in 1998 after she realized that many of the Hispanic children in Idaho were dropping out, some as early as middle school. So, Ana decided to take a popular coming of age tradition in Latin America--the Quinceañera, which is a celebration when a girl turns 15 years old, and turned it into an opportunity to teach children the importance of staying in school and becoming responsible citizens in the community. The program is typically eight weeks and features workshops that include the arts, culture and social issues that affect young Latinos. The program culminates in a recital where the students get a chance to perform the waltz, which they learn during the program, for their parents and members of the community. This program has meant so much to me and I hope that we continue to get the funding needed to keep it going. This is a community-based program through partnerships between cultural and social organizations, school districts, businesses, government agencies, foundations and individuals. I would like to thank everyone involved in making this program possible. I would like to publicly thank my employer, Idaho Camera, for donating the disposable cameras I needed for my class on photography for the kids in Garden City. I am lucky to work for such a wonderful company. If you are interested in the program and would like to help, please contact me.

These are portraits of some of the students who participated in the Nampa program this year.