Artist Statement: "The Larger Family"

When deciding what topic I should pick for the final analysis of my semester of service I made a review of what affected me the most. I came to the conclusion that what I was really impressed by was the amazing dedication and patience of the staff to the program, as well as to each individual child. In this essay I hope to convey the dedication that this staff has, not only for its school but also for the community overall.
One of the most challenging afternoons that I had at Esquela Vieau was when I was told to go down to the Student learning center to help out 2-3 kids with their homework. Upon arriving I noticed a group of 10 2nd graders, some were walking and some running in my direction. At this point I saw one of the teachers making the sign of the cross and then wished me luck. Needless to say I had a hoot of a time keeping the children in their seats and concentrating on their homework. By the end of the hour I had accomplished very little beyond loosing my voice and pulling out some hair. The experience gave me a whole new perspective on the difficulties of teaching children of that age. I mostly worked alongside Margarite, who is the picture of gentle patience. While she is a very gentle woman, she still has a stern voice and a great ability to keep the kids on task. Margarite has a difficult time speaking English, but she has no problem keeping the kids in line and on task. In my interview with Margarite, she told me that she got involved with helping at the school after she had taken night classes to learn English. Now two of her children go there. This is a perfect example of how Esquela Vieau is one big family. The community gets a lot out of Vieau in the form of English classes like ESL, parenting and marriage counseling, free clinics as well as a personal support system. I interviewed Yesenia Montenegro, who described her role at the school as a Mother as well as a teacher. She described the “warm fuzzies” she got from knowing that the school is not only helping the students but their parents as well.
While archiving for this project, I wanted to show how Margarite’s gentle smile and caring demeanor allows her to connect with the children. Her smile also reveals her true passion for the work that she does. This is part of the reason why I chose to focus of the staff for this project. These teachers and helpers are not paid very well yet they come to work knowing that they are making a great deal of difference in the lives of these children and the lives of future generations. They do all this without any thanks and little compensation. In a day when CEO’s get bonuses for unethical practices, our society needs to put more emphasis on the importance of teachers and volunteers.