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Parents and Community Volunteers Walk Neighborhoods for Success
"Camino de Amistad" Celebrates 10th Anniversary
August 2 , 2010
On Saturday, August 7, Santa Ana parent Elfy Gaona will lace up her walking shoes as she has done for the past seven years one Saturday in August. By 8 a.m., she will join some 300 community volunteers ar six high schools in the Santa Ana Unified School district - Century, Saddleback, Santa Ana, Segerstrom, Godinez and Valley - where they will begin the tenth annual "Camino de Amistad" (Walk for Success).
The annual event, organized by Santa Ana College's "Padres Promotores de la Educaión" (Parents promoters of Education), is designed to increase the visibility of higher education throughout Santa Ana. Parents and high school volunteers canvas neighborhoods as they distribute 20,000 door hangers listing the dates for high school registration and the first day of school.
Why does Gaona devote a Saturday to this event? It's simple. "Children have to prepare themselves to get a better job. Competition is tremendous today. We want out children to know that they can do it," she said.
As the parents and youth volunteers knock on doors, they often find local parents who are anxious for the information, reports Gaona. Besides delivering the door hangers, the walkers share upcoming high school open house dates and they invite parents to visit the Higher Education Center at each of the high schools.
"Many parents haven't had the opportunity to visit the schools," said Ganoa. "Sometimes, they don't have the information about the school meetings. Other times because of work, they don't fine time to go, but they are always happy to see us."
The"Camino de Amistad" volunteers will target neighborhoods where school-to-home communication has be the lowest. High school students who assist with the project can earn community service hours for participating with their parents. A free lunch is provided to volunteers following the walk at Adams Park, the corner of Raitt St. and Warner Ave. in Santa Ana. Key partners in the "Camino de Amistad" are the Santa Ana Unified School District, Santa Ana College, Latino Health Access, Delhi Community Center, UC Irvine and CSU Fullerton.
For more information about the "Camino de Amistad," contact Rosa Harrizon at (714) 564-6450.
