Conversations on Education: The Journey towards Sustainable Transformation

Fertile Grounds Series - School Readiness

Welcome to another episode of the TAMIU Fertile Grounds Series Podcast! This episode features Host Lance Kelly in conversation with Cordelia Perez, Chief of Police at TAMIU, and Memo Treviño, Founder of Laredo Learns, as they explore the importance of early literacy and community involvement in childhood cognitive development. Cordelia shares how TAMIU Police go beyond their duties of policing and patrolling by offering supportive services like The Little Library and providing rides to students to ensure they reach their destinations safely. She emphasizes the department’s commitment to enhancing both safety and education on campus. Later, Memo discusses Laredo Learns’ mission to promote daily reading and school readiness. He highlights the impacts of partnerships with organizations like H-E-B and offers practical advice for families and community members to encourage reading at home, helping children succeed from an early age. Join us for an inspiring conversation on community-driven efforts to enhance education and support student success! To learn more about Laredo Learns, visit: https://www.tamiu.edu/coedu/laredolearns.shtml [https://www.tamiu.edu/coedu/laredolearns.shtml]  to learn more about TAMIU, visit: https://www.tamiu.edu/ [https://www.tamiu.edu/]  Host: Lance Kelly Guests: Cordelia Perez, Chief of Police at TAMIU Memo Treviño, Founder of Laredo Learns Time stamps: (00:00 - 02:07) Introduction (02:08 - 05:07) Community Engagement with The Little Library (05:08 - 07:17) TAMIU Police and Overall Student Safety (07:18 - 10:49) Promoting Daily Reading (10:50 - 12:30) Encouraging Family Members to Read (12:31 - 13:56) Investing in Childhood Education (13:57 - 15:28) Addressing Challenges in Family/Child Interactions (15:29 - 21:40) Helping Children with School Readiness (21:41 - 26:07) How Laredo Learns is Encouraging Daily Reading (26:08 - 29:29) Laredo Learns Partnering with Local Groups (29:30 - 31:35) Future Goals for Empowering Student Success (31:36 - 32:59) How Non-Direct Parents Can Be Role Models for Children (33:00 - 33:54) Closing

Fertile Grounds Series - Kindergarten Readiness

Welcome to another episode of the TAMIU Fertile Grounds Series Podcast! Host Lance Kelly is joined by Victoria Camacho, Early Childhood Dean at Laredo ISD, Rosalinda Gomez, Parent Liaison at Cigarroa High School, and Genesis Ruiz, a Student Worker at TAMIU. Victoria and Rosalinda kick off the discussion by sharing the impactful work Laredo ISD is doing to help students and families get ready for school. From hosting read-aloud events to directly engaging with parents, their efforts are making a difference before students even set foot in the classroom. Next, Genesis Ruiz joins the conversation to talk about her role as a student worker at TAMIU and her involvement in an early reading event at HEB. She also offers her perspective on how the community can unite to support early literacy and why more students should participate in these initiatives. Tune in to this insightful episode filled with strategies for empowering students and families and to learn more or connect with department heads at Laredo ISD check out their website: https://www.laredoisd.org/ [https://www.laredoisd.org/] and to learn more about TAMIU visit: https://www.tamiu.edu/ [https://www.tamiu.edu/]  Host: Lance Kelly Guests: Victoria Camacho, Early Childhood Dean at Laredo ISD Rosalinda Gomez, Cigarroa High School Parent Liaison Genesis Ruiz, Student Worker at TAMIU Time stamps:  (00:00 - 01:08) Introduction (01:09 - 03:42) Prepared Kids to Enter School (03:43 - 07:43) Unique Barriers in Laredo (07:44 - 13:19) Increasing Enrollment and Engaging Parents (13:20 - 16:10) Read Out Louds (16:11 - 18:11) The Head Start Program (18:12 - 22:27) Engaging Outside the Classroom (22:28 - 29:13) Goals for Increasing School Readiness (29:14 - 34:03) Collaborating Across Departments (34:04 - 39:29) Connect and Get Involved (39:30 - 40:43) Rewards of the Journey (40:44 - 42:59) The Role of Student Volunteers (43:00 - 46:24) Working at the H-E-B Event (46:25 - 48:20) The Importance of Daily Reading (48:21 - 49:59) Little Libraries (50:00 - 50:56) The Heart Behind It (50:57 - 52:24) Spreading the Word (52:25 - 52:44) Closing

Fertile Grounds Series - Strong Starts

Welcome to another episode of the TAMIU Fertile Grounds Series podcast! Host Lance Kelly is joined by Eric Castillo, Child Find Coordinator at CACOST Early Head Start, and Gabriela Perez, Clinical Director at SCAN (Serving Children and Adults in Need). We begin with Eric, who discusses his work with Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) and Project Niños, focusing on raising awareness and educating others about recognizing developmental issues in young children. He passionately shares the impact of this mission and how his own experiences as a parent have deepened his understanding of early development. Next, Gabriela talks about her role at SCAN and her involvement in Project HOPES (Healthy Outcomes through Prevention and Early Support). She highlights how these programs provide developmental screenings and support for families, helping children build social and emotional skills from infancy through toddlerhood. Gabriela also details the wide range of services offered to families and the significance of her work in fostering healthy childhood development. To get resources from ECI visit this link: https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/disability/early-childhood-intervention-services [https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/disability/early-childhood-intervention-services] To learn more about SCAN click on the link below www.scan-inc.org [http://www.scan-inc.org]  Host: Lance Kelly Guests: Eric Castillo, Child Find Coordinator at CACOST Early Head Start Program Gabriela Perez, Clinical Director at Serving Children and Adults in Need Time stamps:  (00:00 - 00:56) Introduction (00:57 - 03:22) Early Identification and Intervention (03:23 - 06:32) Community Partners (06:33 - 08:20) A Beautiful Mission (08:21 - 10:31) National ECI (10:32 - 13:20) It Starts Early (13:21 - 14:32) Learn More  (14:33 - 15:31) Project HOPES (15:32 - 17:47) Serving Children and Adults in Need (17:48 - 19:11) Increasing Access and Information (19:12 - 23:32) Social and Emotional Learning (23:33 - 25:31) Collaborating with the Community (25:32 - 26:37) Increasing Partnerships (26:38 - 27:54) Bringing Awareness (27:55 - 28:47) Connect with SCAN (28:48 - 29:06) Closing

Fertile Grounds Series - Healthy Births

Welcome to the first episode of the TAMIU Fertile Grounds Series podcast! Three guests join host, Lance Kelly, to explore the multifaceted approach to enhancing community well-being in Laredo. Dr. James O’Meara, Dean of Education at TAMIU, Reynol Vela, Owner of Vela Safety Education, and Dr. Richard Chamberlain, Managing Director of Public Health for the City of Laredo, offer valuable insights into how education, public health, and community resources can come together to make a meaningful impact. The conversation delves into the role of educators as catalysts for change, the challenges faced by families in diverse household structures, and the importance of accessible resources like Bright by Text in supporting early childhood development. A few highlights of this episode include discussions on community engagement through local libraries, innovative safety education programs, and the ongoing efforts of Laredo Public Health to bridge gaps and serve all community members. Tune in to learn about the strategies and solutions shaping a brighter future for Laredo's families. https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/disability/early-childhood-intervention-services [https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/disability/early-childhood-intervention-services] To learn more about Bright by Text click on the link below https://brightbytext.org/ [https://brightbytext.org/] Host: Lance Kelly Guests: Dr. James O’Meara, Dean of Education at TAMIU Dr. Richard Chamberlain, Managing Director of Public Health for the City of Laredo Reynol Vela, Owner of Vela Safety Education  Time stamps:  (00:00 - 01:08) Introduction (01:09 - 04:24) Rich, Fertile Community in Laredo  (04:25 - 07:28) Planning for Success Early On  (07:29 - 09:08) Little Libraries & Ventanilla de Orientación Educativa (09:09 - 13:30) Community Engagement Opportunities  for Students  (13:31 - 18:01) Everyone in Laredo is an Educator  (18:02 - 21:53) Sharing Stories with the Community (21:54 - 25:20) Vela Safety Education  (25:21 - 28:46) Different Solutions for Different Types of Families (28:47 - 30:58) Bright by Text Advice through Pregnancy to Teenagers (30:59 - 32:27) Bridge the Gap by Access to Local Services (32:28 - 34:54) Laredo Public Health Communication and Marketing (34:55 - 37:30) Solving Early Childhood Issues by Local Solutions (37:31 - 40:35) Bright By Text Access Option (40:36 - 42:50) Laredo Public Health  (42:51 - 47:10) Challenges Accessing Healthcare (47:11 - 51:00) Educating the Mothers in the Laredo Community (51:01 - 56:20) Creating and Improving Assessments to Close Gaps (56:21 - 57:14) Closing

Counselors that Care: Being a Light for Students

Welcome to a new podcast episode of the TAMIU School Counselor Series! In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Seth Sampson and our excellent guest, Josue Lopez, who is currently a student in the School Counseling program at TAMIU. In this episode, Dr. Sampson and Josue talk about what constitutes a good counselor and how TAMIU’s program is empowering Josue to succeed. Make sure to listen carefully as you tune in, and remember to like and subscribe! To learn more about the Master of Science in School Counseling program at TAMIU check out this link: https://online.tamiu.edu/programs/education/master-of-science-in-school-counseling/  Guest: Josue Lopez, School Counseling Student, Texas A&M International University Host: Dr. Seth Sampson, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M International University Timestamps:  (00:00 - 00:32) Introduction (00:33 - 02:53) Josue’s Journey to Counselor (02:54 - 05:00) TAMIU Leading by Example (05:01 - 06:46) Roles of a School Counselor (06:47 - 08:51) Integrating the Texas Comprehensive Model (08:52 - 10:27) The Importance of Social Emotional Learning (10:28 - 11:14) Mental Health Leadership in School Counseling (11:15 - 15:39) Emotional Intelligence as a Counselor (15:40 - 17:00) Advice to New Counselors (17:01 - 19:29) Being Proactive in Counseling (19:30 - 20:04) Closing