What: The University of Texas at Austin will recognize high school migrant students from across the state, including scholarship recipients and two exemplary students of the year, on March 31 during the 27th annual Migrant Student Recognition Ceremony. The date coincides with the anniversary of César Chávez’s birth.
Who: Approximately 100 students will be honored after completing distance learning courses through the Migrant Student Graduation Enhancement Program, a program of UT Austin’s K-16 Education Center. In addition to students, 40 parents and 60 educators are expected to attend the ceremony with 14 school districts represented. These school districts are Brownsville, Eagle Pass, Edcouch-Elsa, Edinburg, El Paso, La Joya, Longview, Mission, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo, San Angelo, San Benito, San Felipe-Del Rio, South San Antonio and Taylor. About 50 guests from The University of Texas at Austin, the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Legislature are also expected to attend the event.
When: Monday, March 31, 11:30 a.m.1 p.m.
Where: Shirley Bird Perry Ballroom in the Texas Union, 2247 Guadalupe St. We encourage reporters to park in the San Antonio garage near campus. Parking will be validated. http://bit.ly/1ljLH5L We can also arrange for closer-in parking or coordination of equipment.
Background: Texas has the second-largest migrant education program and the largest interstate migrant student population in the nation. Students and their families migrate annually from Texas to 47 other states to work in agricultural and other seasonal jobs. With the help of this program, migrant students are able to stay in school and graduate high school on time.
With funding from the Texas Education Agency and gifts from the ExxonMobil Foundation and the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Foundation, the Migrant Student Graduation Enhancement Program has enrolled more than 29,000 students during the past 27 years in its mission to increase the graduation rate of high school migrant students in Texas. Since its inception, thousands of migrant students have earned high school credits through the program’s distance learning courses to help them reach their goal of high school graduation. Many of these students are the first in their families to reach this educational level, and a number of the program’s high school graduates are now attending college in Texas and across the nation.
During the ceremony, 40 exemplary migrant students from throughout Texas will be recognized and presented with a medal. We will also present college scholarships to five students, including the two Exemplary Migrant Students of the Year. All five scholarships are a gift from the ExxonMobil Foundation, which has provided annual scholarships to the program since 2002.
