South
Texas Writing Project participants featured
on Rural Voices Radio III recording
By Paul de la Peña-Franceschi
The South Texas Writing
Project (STWP) recently hosted a reception honoring
its teachers and students to promote the CD release
of Rural Voices Radio III which was produced for National
Public Radio. Over 100 Laredo educators and students
attended the event to share stories and readings and
celebrate the CD's release. Excerpts from the CD were
premiered on the newsmagazine Drive Time on 1490 AM
and were also heard on KHOY Catholic radio, which
is airing the CD in its entirety on a rotation schedule.
Other radio stations have also been invited to air
the recording, according to rural voices program coordinator
Carol Brochin.
The project which is in its eighth year, includes
a combination of readings by teachers and students
from area schools. Amoung the local musicians who
played for the CD were guitarist Dr. Gilberto Soto,
chair of the TAMIU Fine and Performing Arts Department,
and harpist Rodrigo Perez Ceballos.
Rural Voices Radio III profiles the lives of teachers
and students from four states speaking about places
they call home. Kentucky, Nevada, South Datoka, and
Texas. The Texas segments entitled "Crossings:
Border Voices along the Rio Grande," takes a
look at the life of border towns, Laredo, San Ygnacio,
and Brownsville. Juan A. Juarez, a student at Laredo
Community College, is photographed in the CD was one
of the participants.
Other students featured on the CD include Curtis Stacy
of United Day School, Juan Alvarado III and Theresa
Moss, students at San Ygnacio's A.L. Benavides Elementary;
Frederico Lozano of United High School; and Luz Diaz
from Laredo Community College. Teachers on the CD
include Per Fjelstad of TAMIU; Rosa Maria de Llano,
of Cigarroa High School; and Melissa Martinez, of
United High School.
The South Texas Writing Project (STWP) is an affiliate
of the National Writing Project (NWP), a non-profit
grassroots organization that strives to improve writing
and reading at all levels. The NWP and the US Department
of Education provided funding for the CD. The STWP
will host its annual summer writing institute which
assists teachers with their writing skills. While
the project's administrative headquarters are at Laredo
Community College; the summer institute will be held
at TAMIU. The administrative director of the institute
is Carlos Nicolas Flores. The site director is Lucinda
Farrokh and co-director is Dora Maria Flores. Applications
are being taken through April for the summer institute.
For more information you can reach Farrokh at lfarrokh@laredos.edu/wp
or call 721-5491.
