Casa de la Esperanza Partners with Longmont Public Library on Reading Program

Nine-week program focuses on getting children excited about reading

Boulder County, Colo. - Casa de la Esperanza has partnered with the Longmont Public Library to strengthen the Casa de la Esperanza Learning Center’s recently-established Breaking Barriers reading program, which serves the community’s elementary-age students.

Participants in the reading program–who range in age from six to nine years old–meet twice each week at the Casa de la Esperanza Learning Center. The program is supported by Casa’s youth interns, who conduct fun and interactive reading and writing exercises and craft projects with the program participants. 

Breaking Barriers was launched last summer by Casa de la Esperanza Program Assistant Vanessa Escarcega and by Claire McPeak, a senior at Dawson School in Lafayette and a regular Casa volunteer. McPeak received a scholarship to fund a two-week program last summer and had enough money remaining to support the current nine-week program, which runs through mid-March.

“We’re very excited about this partnership,” said Claire. “Breaking Barriers teaches the importance of language and the different forms of communication we have. We can read, speak, write, act, or create art to share connections through communication.”

In January, program participants took a field trip to the Longmont Public Library where they were hosted by bilingual children’s librarian Amy Fontenot. Each child received a library card and a tour of the library and all were encouraged to participate in the library’s free Summer Reading Program, which starts in late May.

“I want children to know what a valuable gift they’ve been given to be bilingual,” Amy said. “And to parents, I want to emphasize how important those language skills are for children’s brain development, for sustaining our community’s diverse culture, and for their children’s future education and career opportunities.”

The current Breaking Barriers program will conclude March 17 with a celebratory field trip to Dizzy Family Fun Center in Longmont. Casa de la Esperanza is currently exploring funding options to support another program this summer.

About Casa de la Esperanza

Casa de la Esperanza is a 32-unit residential community dedicated to helping agricultural workers. The community is owned and operated by the Boulder County Housing Authority in the City of Longmont. This center provides educational and recreational services to Casa residents, including an onsite “after-school” program and academic center.

Boulder County’s Community Action Programs (CAP) worked with the Boulder County Commissioners, the Boulder County Housing Authority and other community members to make this housing community a reality. The first migrant families moved in during the fall of 1993. CAP staff worked with the site manager to hire a bilingual coordinator in June 1994.

The Casa de la Esperanza Learning Center operates Mondays through Thursdays throughout the year, with occasional weekend activities, and offers a variety of internship and volunteer opportunities. Interested individuals should contact Learning Center Program Coordinator Vanessa Escarcega at vescarcega@bouldercounty.org or 303-678-6220.