Stay in School Quinceañera Program: Garden City Class of 2012

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.

Blakbook Gallery, Boise, ID

Last First Thursday I got a chance to meet some really cool artists. Ross introduced me to his co-worker Bobby Gaytan (he did the flier for the the Stay-in-School Quinceañera Program) who owns Blakbook Gallery. He had an opening for some awesome local Latino artists. I finally got a chance to meet Migel Delgado, who is currently a grad student a Boise State. I also got to talk to Ana Maria Schachtel, who founded and continues to be a huge part of the Quinceañera Program, about some upcoming events and opportunities for me to show my work.







Luz Camarena

Boys and Girls Club of Nampa- Stay-in-School Quinceañera Program

I grew up in the ghetto. Like, the ghetto-ghetto. In South Central Los Angeles to be exact. It took a lot for my sisters and I to stay out of trouble, away from gangs, drugs and teen pregnancy. I credit my mother for raising us to know the difference between right and wrong, but I also believe that we stayed out of trouble because of programs at A Place Called Home and the YMCA. I remember going to the "Y" to swim with my sisters and enjoying a free breakfast on Saturday mornings. I still remember how much I looked forward to opening that little box of cereal and carton of orange juice every week. But going to the "Y" was much more than just free food. It was safe place we could go to. A place to have fun, to be a child/teenager. This is why when Ross and I volunteered to work with the Stay-in-School Quinceañera Program at the Boys and Girls Club of Nampa as part of our service project for the Photographic Arts Collective, I was happy. Happy that we had chosen to help them out. Happy that these programs still existed. And happy that they asked me to tell the kids my story. I saw myself in those kids and I hope they saw themselves in me.

The kids get to learn the waltz in preparation for their Quinceañeras.