McAllen, Texas

Monday, February 22, 2010

by Michelle Zahn

Arise at 8 am, meet for a light (very light) breakfast in the hotel lobby. All are ready in time to board the van and be
on our way by 9:30 to Edcouch, TX where we will visit Llano Grande. The Llano Grande Center for Research and Development is the home of an exciting, long-term experiment in educational research and community development.
Recently featured on the Today Show, the Llano Grande Center is a community-based non-profit engaged in galvanizing young and old, students and residents, in developing new alliances geared to revitalizing the community and expanding educational horizons.

Llano Grande operates in conjunction with the Edcouch-Elsa school district and is changing community culture to recognize youth as leaders. The Llano Grande Center and its philosophy were developed and nurtured by local people with a particular appreciation for local history and wisdom. With local assets as the context, the Center’s vision is to inspire a youth culture that aspires to attend college and engage in community
change. The work of the Llano Grande Center has a track record of raising students to graduate from some of the nation’s most elite universities. –words of Bonnie Peterson Group VII, who helped us to make our plans for this trip.
Dan drove in record time and we reached our first destination without a hitch.

Our host this morning is Delia Perez is from Monte Alto, a town nearby. Delia is a Yale graduate of the teacher preparation program, with a degree in LatinAmerican studies. Her father was an immigrant. She welcomed us into the center with delicious coffee and sweet
breads. Along with Delia we are welcomed by Juan, also a Yale graduate, a newspaper reporter with a degree in communications and is now involved in community outreach, and his younger brother, Steven, who is attending the University of Texas, Pan American, majoring in business management and is the administrative assistant at Llano Grande.