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Community Connection / Conexiones Comunitarias

Reaching for the Stars with Jose Hernandez | August 7th, 2025

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A person in a black shirt is standing on a stage, gesturing while speaking in front of a presentation slide with text about the start of a dream, empowerment, and perseverance.
Reaching for the Stars with Jose Hernandez | August 7th, 2025
Reaching for the Stars with Jose Hernandez | August 7th, 2025
A large auditorium with rows of seats facing a stage, on which a presentation is being displayed on a projection screen featuring a person's portrait and the text %22Reaching New Insights%22.
A large auditorium with rows of black chairs facing a projection screen on a stage, with people seated and standing in the audience.
The image shows a presentation slide displayed on a large screen, featuring a portrait of a man in an orange spacesuit against a starry background, with the text %22Reaching New Heights%22 and information about a student presentation by the Ector County School District.
The image shows a presentation on stage, with a large screen displaying the presenter's %22My Story%22 narrative, including childhood, the start of a dream, the effect of empowerment, the long journey, and the importance of perseverance. The presenter stands in the foreground, addressing the audience.
A group of people, mostly children, sitting in a theater-like setting, some wearing red shirts and others in casual attire, engaged in what appears to be a presentation or performance.
A man in a dark shirt stands on a stage with a red curtain backdrop, holding a microphone and appearing to be giving a presentation or speech.
A group of people, mostly children, sitting in rows of chairs in what appears to be a theater or auditorium setting.
A group of people, including adults and children, are gathered in a retail store setting, browsing and examining various products displayed on shelves.
The image shows a young woman and a middle-aged man standing together in what appears to be a hallway or office setting. The woman is wearing a blue shirt and the man is wearing a navy blue uniform with a name tag.
The image shows three people standing together in what appears to be a hallway or office setting. The two individuals on the sides are smiling and appear to be in casual attire, while the individual in the middle is wearing a uniform.
We launched off an inspiring event with José Hernández, as he rocketed from the fields to the final frontier, sharing his out-of-this-world journey from migrant farmworker to space traveler! We discovered how he overcame numerous challenges and the significance of goal-setting, hard work, and perseverance! Special thanks to Odessa High School for letting us host at the Performing Arts Center! 
Lanzamos un evento inspirador con José Hernández, quien viajó desde los campos hasta la última frontera, compartiendo su increíble experiencia de trabajador agrícola migrante a viajero espacial. Descubrimos cómo superó numerosos desafíos y la importancia de establecer metas, trabajar duro y perseverar. ¡Un agradecimiento especial a Odessa High School por permitirnos tener este evento en el Centro de Artes!

Cinco de Mayo with OHS | May 5th, 2025

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Two people, a man and a woman, are sitting on a concrete surface in front of a brick building. They are both wearing t-shirts with colorful designs and appear to be smiling.
A group of people, including children, are browsing through a display of books and other items on a street market or fair.
The image shows a street market or outdoor event, with a table full of colorful children's books and artwork on display. In the background, there are people walking around and interacting with the vendors.
A group of people browsing through a selection of books and other items displayed on a table in an outdoor setting, with buildings and trees visible in the background.
A crowded outdoor event with people browsing through various items displayed on tables, surrounded by buildings and flags in the background.
A large auditorium with rows of black chairs facing a projection screen on a stage, with people seated and standing in the audience.
A group of people, mostly young adults, gathered around a table displaying various items, with flags and banners visible in the background.
The image shows a presentation slide displayed on a large screen, featuring a portrait of a man in an orange spacesuit against a starry background, with the text %22Reaching New Heights%22 and information about a student presentation by the Ector County School District.
A group of young people, some wearing patriotic attire, are gathered together and interacting with each other, with some using mobile devices, against a backdrop of flags and a crowd.
Odessa High School hosted its vibrant Cinco de Mayo celebration and graciously invited our department to join in the festivities! We are thrilled to be part of such an amazing and inclusive event, as it allows us to support biliteracy by offering free bilingual books to families and students!
Odessa High School celebró el Cinco de Mayo con entusiasmo e invitó amablemente a nuestro departamento a unirse a las festividades. Nos entusiasma formar parte de un evento tan increíble e inclusivo, ya que nos permite apoyar la alfabetización bilingüe ofreciendo libros bilingües gratuitos a familias y estudiantes.

Crockett Fall Festival | October 30, 2024

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A group of people, some wearing casual clothing and others in more formal attire, are gathered around a red food truck, examining the items on display.
A food truck with a red and white color scheme is parked on a paved surface, surrounded by people standing and sitting on red and white checkered stools in the foreground, with trees and a clear sky visible in the background.
A group of people, including several women, are gathered around a table with a sign for %22Bilingual & ESL Education%22 in the foreground, while a crowd of people can be seen in the background.
A person wearing a plaid shirt and jeans is holding up a book in front of their face, with a red car and other vehicles visible in the background.
A group of people, including a young child in an orange shirt, are gathered around a table outdoors, examining documents or papers together.
A woman in a purple shirt is reading a book to a young boy in a green shirt, surrounded by various colorful books and toys on a table.
A woman and a young child are seated at a table in the foreground, surrounded by a crowd of people in the background, with a colorful food truck visible in the background.
A group of people, including adults and children, are gathered around a table displaying various books and educational materials, suggesting an educational or community event.
Crockett Middle School held its annual Fall Festival, and we were thrilled to attend and offer free bilingual books to the families in our community! The event was a vibrant celebration of culture and community, filled with laughter, music, and activities for all. Children dashed between booths, pumpkins in hand, while parents enjoyed the festive atmosphere.
Our booth buzzed as families explored bilingual books. The children's joy at discovering stories in English and their native languages was heartwarming. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Crockett Middle School for allowing us to be a part of this wonderful opportunity!
Crockett Middle School celebró su Festival de Otoño anual, ¡y nos encantó asistir y ofrecer libros bilingües gratis a las familias de nuestra comunidad! El evento fue una vibrante celebración de la cultura y la comunidad, llena de risas, música y actividades para todos. Los niños corrían entre los puestos, calabazas en mano, mientras los padres disfrutaban del ambiente festivo.
La alegría de los niños al descubrir historias en inglés y en sus lenguas maternas fue conmovedora. ¡Extendemos nuestra más sincera gratitud a Crockett Middle School por permitirnos ser parte de esta maravillosa oportunidad!

Choice Schools | December 7th, 2023

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Choice Schools Event
Choice Schools Event
Choice Schools Event
Choice Schools Event
Choice Schools Event
Choice Schools Event
The Bilingual & ESL Department gave away English and Spanish books to promote our Dual Language Program and ESL Program offered in multiple campuses throughout ECISD at the Choice Schools Event in December 2023. We were so excited to meet so many parents and students of our community and collaborate with many other departments and campuses! At this event, parents have the opportunity to explore and gather information about all the choice schools available in ECISD and are encouraged to apply to a school for their students.
El Departamento Bilingüe y ESL regaló libros en inglés y español para promover nuestro Programa de Lenguaje Dual y el Programa ESL que se ofrecen en múltiples campus de ECISD en el Evento de Escuelas Elegidas en diciembre de 2023. Estábamos muy emocionados de conocer a tantos padres y estudiantes de nuestra comunidad y ¡Colabora con muchos otros departamentos y campus! En este evento, los padres tienen la oportunidad de explorar y recopilar información sobre todas las escuelas de elección disponibles en ECISD y se les anima a presentar solicitudes para sus estudiantes.

The 1:11 Project | August 25th, 2023

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The image shows a person standing in front of a large projection screen displaying the text %22The Eli Project: Impacting Lives%22. The background appears to be a gymnasium or similar indoor sports facility, with basketball hoops and other sports-related equipment visible.
The image depicts a gymnasium or indoor sports hall with wooden paneled walls. In the foreground, there are numerous framed posters or displays featuring portraits of individuals, likely promoting some kind of event or performance.
A group of young people, some wearing lanyards, sitting together in what appears to be a conference or event setting.
A large group of children and young people, some wearing colorful shirts, sitting closely together in what appears to be a classroom or event setting.
A crowded gymnasium filled with rows of white chairs and a large group of people seated in the background.
A large group of young people, mostly teenagers, gathered together in what appears to be an auditorium or event space, with some wearing colorful shirts or uniforms.
A large crowd of people, mostly students, seated in a gymnasium with yellow walls and an overhead crane visible in the background.
A large crowd of students gathered in a gymnasium, with individuals in the foreground interacting with each other.
The image shows a school gymnasium with a large screen displaying a person's face, surrounded by several people standing in front of various displays and posters.
The 1:11 Project is a non-profit organization focused on increasing awareness of the dangers associated with fentanyl, addressing misuse, and promoting mental health awareness. Our department had the opportunity to offer translations for our Emergent Bilingual students by providing live translations via our listening devices. A heartfelt thanks to Perla Quintana for her exceptional live translation of the informative presentation!
El Proyecto 1:11 es una organización enfocada en crear conciencia sobre los peligros asociados con el fentanilo, abordar su uso indebido y promover la salud mental. Nuestro departamento tuvo la oportunidad de ofrecer traducciones en vivo a nuestros estudiantes de Bilingüe Emergente mediante nuestros dispositivos de escucha. ¡Un sincero agradecimiento a Perla Quintana por su excepcional traducción en vivo de la presentación informativa!

Crockett Block Party

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Crockett Block Party
Crockett Block Party
Crockett Block Party
Crockett Block Party
Crockett Block Party
Crockett Block Party
Crockett Block Party
October 17, 2023
Crockett Block Party
October 17, 2023
Crockett Block Party
October 17, 2023
Crockett Block Party | October 17th, 2023
The Bilingual & ESL Department was so excited to be part of Crockett Middle School Block Party! We had the opportunity to participate in giving away books to our amazing community of all ages ranging from Pre-K to 12th Grade. Our department provided each student with a book in English and Spanish to promote bilingualism and biliteracy.
¡El Departamento Bilingüe y ESL estaba muy emocionado de ser parte de la fiesta del barrio de Crockett Middle School! Tuvimos la oportunidad de participar en la donación de libros a nuestra increíble comunidad de todas las edades, desde Pre-K hasta 12º grado. Nuestro departamento proporcionó a cada estudiante un libro en inglés y español para promover el bilingüismo y la alfabetización bilingüe.

Ector County Children's Library - Bilingual Reading Time

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Ector County Library Reading Time
Ector County Library Reading Time
Ector County Library Reading Time
Ector County Library Reading Time
Ector County Library Reading Time
Ector County Library Reading Time
Ector County Library Reading Time
The Bilingual & ESL Department was invited to collaborate with the Ector County Children's Library to read bilingual books every other Thursday to help promote bilingualism and biliteracy! We attend every other Thursday with one of our Bilingual/ESL specialists or coordinators to read interactive and engaging stories to encourage children to pick up a book and read.
¡El Departamento Bilingüe y ESL fue invitado a colaborar con la Biblioteca Infantil del Condado de Ector para leer libros bilingües cada dos jueves para ayudar a promover el bilingüismo y la alfabetización bilingüe! Asistimos cada dos jueves con una de nuestros especialistas o coordinadoras bilingües/ESL para leer historias interactivas y atractivas para animar a los niños a tomar un libro y leer.

Día de Muertos

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Día de Muertos
Día de Muertos
Día de Muertos
Día de Muertos
Día de Muertos
The Bilingual/ESL Department was happy to participate in El Día de los Muertos with kindergarten and first grade students at Barbara Jordan and Goliad Elementary. El Día de los Muertos is a popular tradition that has been celebrated in Mexico and other countries for hundreds of years. Held on the 1st and 2nd of November, this rich and colorful celebration honors and remembers those who have passed away. Emergent bilinguals enjoyed singing along with Miguel, one of the main characters from the animated movie Coco, which focuses on the family connections, history and music. During the event, Odessa Mayor Javier Joven, also shared some insight with the students about the city’s history and his duties. The Bilingual/ESL Department provided each student with a book in English and Spanish to promote bilingualism and biliteracy.
El Departamento Bilingüe/ESL está feliz de haber participado en El Día de los Muertos con los estudiantes de kinder y primer grado de la Primaria Barbara Jordan y Goliad. El Día de los Muertos es una tradición popular que se celebra en México y otros países desde hace cientos de años. Celebrada el 1 y 2 de noviembre, esta rica y colorida celebración honra y recuerda a los que han fallecido. Los bilingües emergentes disfrutaron cantando junto a Miguel, uno de los personajes principales de la película animada Coco, que se centra en los vínculos familiares, la historia y la música. Durante el evento, el alcalde de Odessa, Javier Joven, también compartió con los estudiantes sus funciones y el historial de la ciudad. El Departamento Bilingüe/ESL le proporcionó a cada alumno un libro en inglés y español para promover el bilingüismo y la alfabetización bilateral.

Cinco de Mayo

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Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo
Odessa High School invited the Bilingual/ESL Department to their 5th annual Cinco de Mayo event. The department had the opportunity to support biliteracy by providing free bilingual books for families.
Odessa High School invitó al Departamento de Educación Bilingüe/ESL a su 5º evento anual del Cinco de Mayo. El departamento tuvo la oportunidad de apoyar la alfabetización proporcionando libros bilingües gratuitos para las familias.