Summer Education Programs Serve Migrant Children in Southwest Michigan

It may be summer, but students are filling the halls of schools in two central Berrien County school districts.

As they do every year, migrant farm worker children are spending time in classrooms in the Berrien Springs and Eau Claire school districts.

"We're trying to keep kids on grade level but also make it as interactive and fun as we can," said Tim Keathley, on the staff at Eau Claire schools.

The districts are among several in Southwest Michigan serving the migrant population. Others are Bangor, Coloma, Dowagiac, Hartford, South Haven and Watervliet.

The money comes from federal and state sources.

The programs tend to take summer into account and combine academics with other activities, like field trips and special events. When possible, students can earn high school credits.

Eau Claire schools had a "fiesta night" Wednesday to celebrate the end of the summer program while Berrien Springs had an open house for students and their families.

Sylvester Elementary School Principal Danny Bartz is in charge of the summer migrant program at Berrien Springs, which has had such a program for many years. He said the goal this summer was to do more to emphasize academics for the 120 students, ages 3 to 18.

"This year, we've tried to incorporate what we're doing during the year with our reading and writing program and our safe and civil schools initiative," he said. "We have ramped up our academic expectations. We've really tried to focus on reading and helping them understand more of the English language.

www.heraldpalladium.com/articles/2011/07/28/local_news/5847993.txt

Online Map Hopes to Ease Michigan Summer Hunger Challenges for Youths

republished from the State of Michigan Department of Education website

LANSING – Summer in Michigan is lots of fun. However, for thousands of children, summer may mean going without the healthy breakfast and lunch normally offered at their local school.

There are free meals available to children across Michigan through the Summer Food Service Program. Yet, despite serving more than 144 million free and affordable lunches during the 2010 school year, only 2.6 million meals were served through this program last summer.

In an effort to provide these free meals to more children, the Michigan Department of Education has created a SFSP Site Locator Map. This online map allows parents, youth, and food assistance organizations to find the nearest meal sites across the state.

"The free Summer Food Service meal sites are in most communities, we just need families to be aware and able to find them,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan. “This online tool is designed to provide greater information and access to nutritional meals for kids during the summer.”

The map is simple to use – just go to the Map webpage, click on the site nearest you and a pop up window with hours of operation and meals served appears. The map is updated weekly throughout the summer as additional sites begin operation. The public is encouraged to check the website throughout the summer for Summer Food sites nearest them.

The Summer Food Service Program was established to ensure that children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Free meals, that meet federal nutrition guidelines, are provided to all children 18 years and younger at approved SFSP sites in areas with significant concentrations of low income children. SFSP operators include public and private nonprofit schools, residential camps, colleges or universities, government agencies, and other private non-profit organizations.

The SFSP Site Locator Map can be found at www.mcgi.state.mi.us/schoolnutrition or at the Summer Food Service Program website at www.michigan.gov/sfsp

The Summer Food Service Program, administered by MDE through funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is available to children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

New Documentary Film Sheds Light on Issue of Migrant Children Farm Workers in Michigan and Other States

A new documentary film, The Harvest or La Cosecha, is being released this week in New York. The film follows the life of migrant children farm workers and their families as they travel from Texas through several other states (including Michigan) picking crops.

The trailer for the film follows:

The film was first introduced in June in Washington D.C. At a press conference on Capitol Hill Thursday, June 16th, Actress Eva Longoria and other child advocates held a press conference in announcing the introduction of “The Children’s Act for Responsible Employment” (CARE), legislation which attempts to ensure adequate protections for children working in our nation’s agricultural fields. Additional information about the film and the proposed CARE Act can be found at:

www.shineglobal.org/index.php/eva-longoria-and-congresswoman-lucille-roybal-allard-introduce-care-act-to-protect-child-farmworkers-in-the-us/

Additional information about the film can be found at the film's web site:

theharvestfilm.com/