Cooper/Howard Hispanic/Latino Meeting

5:30 p. m.  December 16

Stein House, Boonville

Attending: Donald Frederick, Lisa Brininstool, Andy Melendez, Jamie H. Thompson, Bianca Thoma, Art Schneider, Danielle Blanck and Richard Blanck.

English as a Second Language: With her husband’s surgery last Thursday, Janie Houf is still attending to care and could not attend. She sent an e-mail update. Her three students had not attended in four weeks. They have been attending classes for a year. One of those weeks was Thanksgiving.

She went to their apartment. They were not home, but she left a message. They all were back in class today. (Janie’s perseverance pays!)  Typical of her thoughtful nature, she bought the youngest participant a Leap Frog game to reinforce learning the alphabet and sounds. It also allows typing three-letter words and pronounces correctly spelled words.

Janie expects the latest book will be completed in January.

Janie talked with the Fuqua manager about ESL classes at the site and he is interested. He has not returned her calls since.

Don noted that the work at the Fuqua plant has been irregular. The company worked four days last week, two days this week and will be closed next week. The plant now opens only when it has manufactured housing orders that need to be filled.

The mayor will go with Janie to visit the plant manager at the end of January to discuss classes for the upcoming semester.

Columbia Centro-Bunceton e-mail exchange: Lisa reported Bunceton is still securing e-mil addresses for the students. The emphasis will be on the fourth grade class.  Lisa said there are 10 to 15 students at Centro Latino who would be pen pals. Art noted that there also may be some eighth graders at Ss. Peter & Paul who will be pen pals.

At this point plans are to have a picnic so students from each school can meet for a picnic, possibly a stay over at mid semester and near the end of the school year.  There is a Lions Club facility that could be used for the picnic in March—either before or after spring break weekend. Centro Latino has a van. In Columbia a park shelter may be a suitable site or school grounds. The Extension grant cannot pay for transportation, but could be used for materials in conjunction with the exchange, such as food, games, etc….

International Festival: Consensus to move ahead on this. Planning date is for April 23. Location Turner Hall. Normal rate for the facility from noon to midnight that time of year is $520. For our organization he will reduce the cost to $260. With Del Alma costing $600 the cost for the festival is $860.

 It was suggested that Latino dance lessons be offered prior to the dance in an effort to give the event an added attraction.  Bianca also suggested it would be helpful to have people at the dance who could teach those who want to learn some basic steps at the dance. Art is to contact Alfredo to see if he knows some dancers who could do this. Art will contact the Oswalds to confirm the facility and suggest the Latin dace classes. He suggested that the Missouri River Rats be involved.

Discussion on cost and for a couple the consensus was $20. No decision on individuals.

Daytime will be international booths with a focus on Latin America. Art will contact the Hispanic student association to work on this.

Don noted that Thrivent will assist with the program and would match b$300 for donations. He will contact the pork producers and Dave Nicholas to see about pork and beef burgers.

Mayor Blanck will contact the Isle about a contribution of food for the event and Bianca will contact LaHacienda.

FOLLOW-UP ON Hispanic assisted by Bianca Thanksgiving: Bianca said the man—in late 40s or early 50s (Central America, not Mexican) was at Breaktime and she happened to be there and that was how the initial connection was made.  When she called police the police were the ones who informed her he would need an I.D.  (Because Latinos frequently do not have cards other than Green cards there was an earlier agreement that this was acceptable for Harvest House. Art will talk with the police chief and Harvest House). The man’s green card had expired.

He was unwilling to go to the police station. Bianca said when she left to make arrangements to take him to Columbia, he was gone upon her return. She did learn that he did secure a ride to Columbia.

Mini-Society: Jamie reported that she is working with Carmen Jones in Boonville to offer a mini-society in June. It is an entrepreneur program from the Kauffman Foundation for children age eight to 12, though the program that was offered in Boonville a year ago had children as young as age five. Older children assisted the younger children.

She said the participants set up a country, design a flag, develop their own currency, form   government and learn about how businesses and the economy work.

When the Kauffman Foundation sponsored the program, the grants provided items for business that the participants could buy.  Participants also receive salaries and can purchase goods at the market. The program is six weeks in length (30 hours) and is limited to 25 children.

May Blanck volunteered there is an entrepreneurial program through Disney called Hotshotbusiness.com. She said that children really enjoy this. It is a partnership between Kauffman and Disney.

Cooper County Extension received a grant from statewide extension for $500 to fund two 

Min-society workshops.

The second will be with Centro Latino in Columbia. Jamie will contact Jim Ronald, 4-H youth specialist; to secure the names of those trained to deliver the workshop. She estimated as any as people would be available.

They would work with Lisa.  Lisa suggested it probably would be best to do the programs on Friday/Saturday and Centro Latino has after school computer homework tutoring Monday through Thursdays.

She noted that their program picks the children up for the tutoring sessions. They have been unable to persuade parents to bring the children.

Meeting adjourned at 7 p.m.

Next meeting January 20^th will be at Mayor Danielle Blanck’s house at 5:30 p.m.