We are pleased to announce the Bill Henningsgaard Fund for Children 2021 grant award winner is Sistema Escolar USA.
The annual award, instituted in 2014 to honor Bill Henningsgaard’s memory, supports systems change, leading to equitable pathways and outcomes for children, youth, and young adults.
The focus for the 2021 grant is to financially support systems work to battle the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racial inequity. The recipient was decided by a committee composed of Eastside Pathways Board members and representatives of the broader community.
Sistema Escolar USA is the seventh recipient of the annual $5,000 grant. The grant will support the organization’s efforts to reach Bellevue and Lake Washington School Districts’ LatinX parents, caregivers, and families, with culturally relevant workshops and information sessions for elementary, middle, and high school students.
“The grant committee was impressed by the well-thought-out approach to helping Spanish speaking families in the Bellevue and Lake Washington School Districts participate as full partners in their children’s education,” says Chris Enslein, Grant Committee Chair. “We also embraced the philosophy exemplified in the application that the most effective communication is provided for the community by the community.”
Liliana Medina, Director, Sistema Escolar USA, expressed her delight at receiving the grant. “For the past five years, as we worked to support Latino families, we realized that immigrant families have some difficulty in understanding the school system. They need to know the basics to understand more complex topics,” explains Liliana. “The workshops we have planned will build relationships with Latino families, make them feel comfortable, and part of the school system, while help them advocate for their children. Moreover, the voice of students and families in Spanish-speaking communities will be heard by the school district”.