Getting an early start

Angelique Flores

Students walked from booth to booth learning about a wealth of career

choices at Golden West College last week.

They watched a puppet show by nurses, hopped in a police car and

picked up soccer ball yo-yos from IBM recruiters before settling down for

a lunch of peanut butter sandwiches.

No, they weren’t college students -- they were visiting

kindergarteners.

Golden West College held its seventh annual KinderCaminata on Friday,

where about 1,200 kindergartners from around the county filled the main

quad.

The one-day program was designed to introduce kindergartners to

community college campuses and to demonstrate how higher education can be

a key component in their futures.

“College is a place for them to go, and the earlier you get started

teaching that to [the children], then it’s not so intimidating for them,”

said Golden West President Kenneth Yglesias.

“Kinder” is German for child and “caminata” is Spanish for walk. The

event is held annually at six Orange County community colleges on or near

Cesar Chavez’s birth date, March 31. The late civil rights leader formed

the United Farm Workers of America union and courageously fought for the

principles of social justice and respect for human dignity.

“[KinderCaminata] is related to Cesar Chavez and his goal that

education and equality is important,” said college spokeswoman Marie

McHerrin.

The outreach event, aimed at socioeconomically deprived youngsters and

their families, is intended to break down barriers, helping them

understand the value of higher education and the resources and

opportunities available to them. Plenty of parents accompanied their

children’s classes.

“Children of color don’t always get these opportunities, and parents

need to teach their kids the value of education,” McHerrin said.

The quad was dotted with tables manned by local military recruiters,

lifeguards, postal workers, zoologists, college athletes and others with

college and career information. The booths included hands-on activities

and information to take home. Students also enjoyed entertainment by

Orange Coast College’s dance instructor Jose Acosta and his dance troupe.

“It’s good for them to learn early on what college is and what it

takes to get here,” said College View Elementary School teacher Ashley

Archer, who has been attending the event with her class for the past

several years.

State legislation has established Cesar Chavez Day as an official

state holiday in honor of the Hispanic labor leader’s life and work.

The California Department of Education plans to develop a model

curriculum on the life and work of Chavez to be adopted by the State

Board of Education and taught in schools all over the state.