Global Grant to Educate Children of Migrant Field Workers 

 

In 2022 the Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo, under the leadership of BELRAG Member and Past President Alex Robertson created a Rotary Global Grant to help educate the children of migrant workers, primarily in the Imperial Valley of California and also in other rural areas of Southern California. This global grant, which demonstrates the power of Rotarians working together and collaborating with the Rotary Foundation was funded in the amount of $33,260 with the help of Puruándiro Mexico (District 4140), Calexico, Brawley, El Centro, Holtville, Imperial Valley, Borrego Springs, Oceanside, Palm Springs and assistance from Point Loma Rotary Clubs. 

 

The vision for this grant is to demonstrate that online learning can be immensely successful and sustainable, especially in a community like migrant workers. The grant supported children of migrants who, because of their lifestyle and the significant impacts of COVID-19, have a lack of basic education. The grant funds software licenses from Learning Upgrade (https://web.learningupgrade.com) and schools provide smartphones or tablets to children for their use. This combination of software and hardware with oversight from schools allows children to move freely and continue their education. The enrolment of grant licenses was launched in Calexico Unified School District (159 children), plus in Calexico Camarena Library (100) and enrollment continues there. Additionally, San Diego Unified School District, Newcomer program (Welcome Centers) has started enrollment as well.

 

Recently representatives from RB Rotary, Learning Upgrade and the Migrant Education Program, Region 9, San Diego County Office of Education met to witness a family gathering that showed the progress that the program has achieved, especially in mathematics. 

 

 

Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo attendees were:  

Learning Upgrade Attendees:

Migrant Region 9 Management attendees: