Box Tops for Education “Nuestros Niños: Commitment to Education" free event in Los Angeles area.

Disclosure: The Box Tops for Education team asked me to help them spread the word about this event, however all opinions expressed here are my own.                                                                                                        

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the Box Tops for Education “Nuestros Niños: Commitment to Education" a free fun event, where a group of experts on education shared their stories of education success and also allowed parents to share their own stories as a way to continue to support children being successful in school and life. 

The fun event included activities where parents and kids had the opportunity to interact with each other, some of those activities included

• Photo booth
• Sharing and Viewing Stories 
• Panel of Parents and Educators
• Giveaways (all attendees received a gift pack of products) 
• Drawings

The room was set up with very organized activity stations such as

• Aprender Juntos (Learn Together) Parents received a lanyard and kids received a wristband and instructions  sheet for “Dream Together” game
• Compartan un Abrazo (Share a Hug): Parents and kids got their photos taken in a photobooth
• Comunicarse (Communicate Together): Families participated in activities to encourage communication.
• Tomar Acción (Take Action): Parents, caregivers and teachers shared their own education story and “Golden Nugget” which was videotaped.
• Kids’ Corner: Fun activities for kids, including chalk drawing.

A group of educators shared their motivational stories of success and how their families influenced them and helped them to achieve their goals. The panel was formed by: 

1. Mr. Jose L. Rodriguez,  Director of Education for Texas and Southwest Region at National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
2. Dr. Feliza Ortiz-Licon is a Senior Director of Education at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
3. Carmen Hernandez, classroom teacher at Bryson Avenue School 
4. Fabiola Del Toro, Director of the Center for parents in Maywood Elementary 

The educators shared their stories but also motivated parents to share their own stories, and it was a real consensus that families have a great impact on kids educations. Parents make sacrifices in order to allow kids to go to school and continue their education in college and university. Our commitment to our kids education will pay off later on. Share time with your kids and making sure you talk to them, be informed of what is happening at school.

I was so motivated by the stories that I also shared mine. My mom had to quit high school when my grandfather died. She had to get a job and work so she could pay for rent and groceries for my elder grandma. But she never stop believing on the power of education and she not only got her GED but got a MBA using correspondence learning. (there was not online schools back then).

Motivated by my mom, I also finished all my basic school and got my masters in Public Health online, with a full time job, a husband and a child. It was not easy, but it is rewarding.

One of my favorite parts of the event is when we all got to share our "Golden Nugget” about education. Mine is education is fun. I always make learning a fun activity for my son. Every moment in life is a learning opportunity and if we make it fun and we are there to share it with our kids they will learn not only a lot but will start loving going to school and doing their homework. My son is only 9 and he already have plans for his future, and they are great. He wants to go to college and to the MIT to study cosmology. Now it is my role as a parent to continue motivating him to reach his goals.

We love our kids and we are the most important piece of their future. They will have more opportunities to succeed in live if we support them and motivate them to stay in school and have good grades. We are the most important person in our kids education.

Call to action!!!

Here it is my call for action for you! I am committed to my child education and I want you to do the same for yours. I challenge you to spend some quality time and pay undivided attention to your kid(s) each day. Set phones aside. Turn off TV and radio and actually focus on your child. Ask questions about their day, their friends, talk to each other and listen. You will be surprised about all the things you will learn about their friends and how your relationship with them can improve. Try it for a couple of days, then it will become routine. You will be grateful you did.

Let me know how it goes.....

America’s schools have earned over $640 million through Box Tops for Education™ since the program started in 1996, including over $80 million in the 2013-2014 school year alone. More than 80,000 schools use that cash to purchase items such as computers, library books, art supplies and playground equipment. Schools can earn up to $20,000 per year by clipping Box Tops from hundreds of participating products.

To learn more and for a list of participating products, visit Box Tops for Education and connect on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest