♪♪ Welcome to Sunday Stories, I'’m Michael Sanford.

Over the next hour we'’ll be sharing stories that celebrate the rich history, amazing people, and fascinating places throughout our region and beyond.

We'’ll visit with artist Dr. Monica Crooks; Meet Liliana Ferrer, Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento; Explore the special bond between guide dogs and the people they'’re paired with; Join a virtual education tour for students hosted by a California State Park ranger; And discover a local business whose owner learned to embrace her cultural roots and now teaches others the language and culture.

But first, a look at how mental health is being addressed in schools.

Including a statewide online suicide prevention program that shows how to recognize the signs that someone may need help, and lessons teachers are creating that address stress and teaching students coping strategies.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24.

Noting this, the California Legislature passed a new law in 2019 that provides funds for suicide prevention training for staff and students.

The online training is provided by LivingWorks, and made free to districts throughout California through a partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education.

It'’s a 90-minute online training, geared to staff and students in middle and high school.

Heather: Suicide is when pain overrides hope.

So in all that we do with our young people and our educators, is really we need to instill hope in everything we do with youth.

Everything we talk about needs to have elements of hope and positivity.

Christina: Heather Nemour is part of the team leading the suicide prevention effort, and says it comes at a crucial time.

Heather: Pre-COVID, mental health was one of the biggest challenges that we were seeing among our students.

And so, uh, anxiety, depression, suicide ideation, we are, we're all very, uh, very much on the radar for, um, being a genuine concern for students being able to come to school and learn.

Now that we're in COVID, one of the silver linings is that mental health has really risen to the top for all schools.

Christina: This clip from the online suicide prevention training demonstrates what it might look like if you have a student who is fidgety, unable to concentrate, and disengaging from regular activities - all signs he might be troubled.

Student: Hey.

Teacher: What'’s up?

You ok?

Student: Yeah, no.

I'’m not feeling very good, I think I should go home.

Teacher: Another headache?

You had one last week.

Student: I just can'’t concentrate.

I really appreciate everything you'’ve done with me.

You'’ve been really patient.

Most people aren'’t.

They get really frustrated and they give up.

Anyway, I should go.

Bye.

Christina: The training helps people react appropriately when they suspect someone might be suicidal.

Jarrod: What you learn in LivingWorks Start is if you're worried about suicide, you have to ask specifically about suicide.

And so that's what we encourage teachers to do as well.

Other warning signs that are a little bit, uh, more difficult perhaps to interpret are things like, significant changes in behavior.

For students going from an A student to a C or a D student.

Or a really gregarious, outgoing student to a quiet isolated student.

Or um, a non-risk taking student who all of a sudden is taking all kinds of risks.

Christina: He also identified four groups as being at higher risk..... including students who have lost a loved one to suicide.... students with disabilities, mental health or substance abuse disorders..... ....those experiencing homelessness or in foster care..... And young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning.

But even for those outside those groups -- there'’s so much added pressure right now.

Heather: It's creating a lot of isolation, disconnection from others, um, a disruption in their routines that they had.

And then there are those students that are in home environments that are not fully positive or fully supportive.

And so now they are suddenly in homes, 24/7, where they might be experiencing domestic violence or, um, uh, other kinds of challenges.

Christina: The suicide prevention training also provides tools for students, who may notice warning signs on social media, or through texting.

Text conversation: U wanna game?

Zen and I are on and need a third.

We'’re getting killed.

Don'’t really feel like it.

Just wanted to say bye.

Going offline for a bit?

Yeah I guess.

Thank you.

For what?

You were a good friend.

Zen too.

Were?

Why the past tense?

Christina: Students say these examples are eye opening.

Life is an 11th grader in Chula Vista who took the training.

Life: It was really informative because it gave many different scenarios and through videos, through text messages, real life, and really realistic situations.

So I think that going through those live simulations and being able to learn from those were really helpful, and it really helped me grow.

Christina: Life'’s training was part of a class taught by humanities teacher, Andres Perez.

He asked the students at the start of 2020 school year what topic they most wanted to focus on - and their answer: Mental Health.

Andres: Over and over again, students were telling me that they were more anxious than usual feeling, more depressed than usual.

I had students asking to check in, which as a teacher is always something you're excited to hear about.

Um, but of course when it's happening so much more often than usual, I knew right away something was up.

Uh, and I thought that was just another sign that students just wanted someone to connect with.

Christina: In response, he designed a six-week unit focused on mental health.

It concluded with students creating projects that could be shared in the community.

For her final project, Life held a socially distant event at a park, with the goal of directing attention to the mental health needs of people of color.

Life: It was a guided meditation and it was around Black Lives Matter and black brain health, the one that we played, and then we also had the singers perform and we sold art from local artists on the community.

And all of the proceeds went to the Black Mental Health Alliance.

I come from a very diverse background with my family being black, white, Hispanic, all of that kind of stuff.

So I'm seeing it directly in my own community, it really makes me realize that there needs to be a change and there needs to be more improvements in that field.

Christina: Other students class created projects like awareness posters with QR codes that provided people with information on how to get help... ....and short films, like this one created by 11th grader, Carlos.

Carlos: Say for example you see a dark shadowy figure in your house at night.

♪♪ When our brains go into a state of panic, the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls emotions, wants us to get out of harm'’s way at all costs.

Christina: Carlos says the goal of his film is to educate others about anxiety.

Carlos: Being in a constant state of anxiety because of COVID-19 and not knowing what's going to happen, how this is going to look like in a year or two or not, just not feeling in control is something that is very bad for us because being in a state of anxiety for multiple months drains you and leaves you depressed because anxiety when it comes, it's there to give you a burst of energy and go into a fight or flight response, but being in a state of anxiety for several months, well, it kind of just drains all of your energy.

So my aim for my short film was to kind of give one of the tactics that I learned about that I researched and that really helped me, which was to find small things that we are in control of and to just focus on those things.

Christina: Experts say.....Carlos'’s message is exactly right...and can offer tips to everyone on how to best manage stress.

Heather: We're in such uncertain times, what is helpful to try to identify what are the things that I can control.

Because so much is out of our control right now.

And so things that you can control, we tell them are, you know, what you eat every day.

Are you, um, taking frequent breaks?

Are you moving your body?

Are you practicing self care?

And you know, do you have a web of support?

Do you have other people you can reach out to when you are feeling upset or stress stressed?

Pretty much 97% of the time, you can say '‘right now, right here everything is okay.

'’ Christina: Andres Perez says he'’s proud of the work his students put into their projects, but he remains concerned about the mental health impacts of remote learning amid the pandemic.

Andres: I would say that for students right now, so many are not turning in work because they are stressed.

Because they are focused on taking care of their family, uh, because, uh, they just don't know how to - One, they're trying to exist during a pandemic.

Two, they're trying to compartmentalize all these new emotions they'd never experienced before.

Three, they're just a teenager.

And they're dealing with those new emotions.

And having school as a priority in that, you know, where does it go?

It definitely doesn't go first.

I understand that.

I tell my students, there are things that are so much more important than your schoolwork.

At the same time, I want to make sure that they'’re not missing out on an opportunity to learn and to grow, so that they can go on to college.

They can go on to fulfill their dreams for themselves and their family.

So it is affecting their schoolwork and that's something that is concerning for me, but I think that's why mental health is such a great unit to start the year with, because it's now a conversation that we broached and that now we can always go back to.

Anytime they're not getting their work turned in.

My first question to them is always, '‘have you been practicing your coping strategy?

Have you been, uh, making sure to play the guitar?

Have you been exercising like is a goal of yours?

Have you been connecting with friends and family?

'’ Cause if you're not doing that, it's going to be a lot harder to get those other things completed.

Christina: Coping strategies are key to good mental health.

For 11th grader Devri, she learned about journaling as a coping strategy in Mr. Perez'’s class.

Devri: And it's just a small activity that I like to do and write down how my day went.

How I'm feeling and just events that happened in the day.

And it was a really good stress reliever for me.

It just like gave me some time to slow down and just write down whatever was on my mind.

And it was just super beneficial for me.

And ever since I started doing that, I've just been feeling better about myself.

Christina: Did they give you other strategies besides journaling, other ideas that you can do to kind of, um, kind of center yourself?

Devri: Yeah, so it's different for every person, but some ideas are like dancing, um, like physical exercise.

You can also do mindfulness and kind of just doing what you enjoy doing and what makes you feel relaxed.

So like going outside, taking a walk, spending time with your pets, something that'll make you relaxed and, um, help you cope with your emotions.

Heather: We always say we haven't done our job until people, you know, can talk about mental health.

And it's just as socially accepted as it is talking about physical health.

And if somebody is sick, if somebody has cancer, we go help them.

We bring them food, we call and check on them.

But if somebody has a mental health challenge, you know, we "“other them.

"” Like, oh, it's those other people, not us.

But we all have mental health challenges.

We all have mental health.

Andres: My students have just surprised me over and over again with how willing they are to share their own struggles.

Whether they're currently in therapy, whether they're currently, having feeling anxious or, uh, feeling depressed.

So I hope more teachers and more students are willing to broach this topic that sometimes, uh, we may feel a little bit, um, awkward, uh, broaching into.

But, but I promise that so many students are really ready and willing and excited to talk about this because it's on their mind and it's something that they want to be discussing.

♪♪ Michael: It'’s so important that students and teachers are having conversations around suicide awareness, self-care, and mental health.

This next story introduces us to Dr. Monica Crooks, and the journey that has led her to express that black and beautiful are synonymous in her art.

Marinda: There is an unmistakable connection between art and its impact on society.

Including how we interact with, gain a better understanding of, generate conversations through art.

It can all lead to gaining greater influence from and empathy for others.

Monica: Because sometimes art is powerful when it communicates a message it's not a bright cherrie you know just a pretty picture.

There's a purpose for all of it... and up to this point in time, this is just what I've done.

Marinda: Many perceptions of beauty are guided by the prevailing culture.

Through her artistry and dentistry.

Dr Monica Crooks creates, expands, preserves and redefines the norms of how we view culture and beauty through art.

Monica: I paint things that are uplifting and beautiful and bold and colorful and bright and free and hopefully things that would bring joy to the person viewing them...

I think that if I were to distill what I do down, what I paint is beauty period.

That's what I try to depict in everything that I paint.

So am I preserving anything?

Yes, beauty.

And they happen to be beautiful black faces right now.

Marinda: Dr Monica Crooks'’s art, shows an undeniable look at beauty in its many forms, while also discovering her own reflection of beauty within her work.

Monica: I liked doing faces and I used to do faces of women.

And my dad said to me, he says, "Why are you always drawing white faces?"

He said that.

"Why do you always draw white people?"...

I don't know.

I didn't know at the time, um, I think now in retrospect, it's because it was a time in history where magazines did not, I use magazines for my subject matter and magazines did not depict pictures of black anybody...

I was trying to think of what?

What is unifying about us as African-Americans, it's not really skin color because we run the gamut from snow white to, Ebony black.

Um, but probably the thing that is most unifying is hair texture.

We all have different hair, so no two African-Americans have the same type of hair either.

That's another thing, you know, but some people have the ability to sculpt their hair and I mean, cut it into shapes.

I mean, Grace Jones was famous for that... you know these big angular shapes that she could create and the hair just it's like weightless.

It just stands on end and you can do things with it.

Which is amazing.

So the other reason that I wanted to do that show is some of us, And I'm going to say myself included didn't grow up proud of our hair.

You know, when I grew up, I wanted the hair my little friends could roll out of bed, shake, just go.

And my hair wasn't like that because my hair had a mind of its own and how it was going to look that day very much dependent upon the weather.

I want people to see black and beauty as synonymous, just like any other races.

Okay, no one is better or worse than the other.

There are beautiful and less beautiful in every genre of everything in the world.

Okay.

But I embrace the opportunity to paint beautiful black faces... Marinda: Beauty can be defined as a combination of qualities of shape, color, and form.

To senses, intellect and even an attractiveness of feminine and masculine traits.

Within every piece Dr Crooks creates she captures the many expressions and representations of beauty that can sometimes be overlooked.

Monica: ...I think it, it's beautiful to call attention to it and it's beautiful to be able to say that beauty doesn't have one definition.

Marinda: Doctor Crooks says Art helps us to define who we are or perhaps what we hope to represent as human beings.

Monica: it is an expression of who we are as a people.

Human beings.

I mean, an expression of our existence on this earth and it's representation of that experience, the human spirit is not limited.

People are always surprised.

Oh, you can do this.

Is there anything you can't do?

No, there's nothing I can't do.

If I put my mind and my Passion behind it.

And this is true for everybody.

I happened thankfully to have been raised by parents who instilled that in me from the time I can remember, you can do anything.

If anyone else can do it in this world, you can do it too.

I mean, there's nothing really pastel about my work.

It's bright, colorful, strong.

It's it's layers and layers of color on top of color.

It's uninhibited.

It's free.

It's unafraid because I mean, with paint, if you don't like it, just paint over it.

It's no big deal.

It's Fearless... it's accidental discoveries in life and embracing them.

And then.

Seeing how far you can run with it.

I, you know, I don't happen to believe in reincarnation.

I think we got one time on this planet, you know, one shot and then I want to graduate on to bigger and better things.

And I want to squeeze everything I can out of this existence.

So maybe my art is a reflection of that... ♪♪ Michael: We look forward to more expressions of Dr. Crooks'’ passions in her art.

We'’re heading to Mexico for our next story, the Mexican Consulate in Sacramento that is - for an interview with the Consul General Liliana Ferrer.

Rob: I am so thrilled to welcome Consul General Liliana Ferrer.

It's good to see you.

Thank you so much for joining us Consul General.

Liliana: Thank you, Rob, for inviting me.

It's a pleasure.

Thank you.

Rob: Your work has taken you from Paris to Washington to Harvard, Mexico City, and now you have a massive position in California.

Tell us about your role as the Consul General and with the Consulate General's Office.

Liliana: Of course.

Thank you, Rob.

Uh, it's uh, I think, uh, in my 30-year spanning career, as a... as a Career Foreign Service Officer for the Mexican Government Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Uh, being the Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento is, uh, very much the highest honor and the greatest privilege I can have.

Why?

Uh, because, uh, we are neighbors, we are siblings, uh, we are family.

Uh, we are strategic partners, uh, in many ways, uh, culturally, historically trade wise, Mexico is your first trading partner.

But, uh, but also because we have such a large diaspora in, uh, California, uh, as you know, we are the largest minority, uh, mi-- majority in the United States, 37 million Hispanics, most of the Mexican, a third of them make California their home.

And, uh, we are also the country that has the largest network of consulates of any country in the world, in one host country, 50, five-zero in the us, 10 of them alone in California.

Rob: Wow.

Liliana: And I'’m Northernmost consulate.

And, uh, I have 1 million nationals.

So, there is much work that is being done every day at these offices, not only helping safeguard and protect the rights of Mexicans, but also working very closely with California authorities and civil society in strengthening this very important and strategic relationship that we have.

Rob: You have a very interesting, um, path, if you will, related also to your fathers.

Tell me about that.

Did your father have this same position?

Liliana: Yes, he did.

Uh, my father was, uh, also a Career Foreign Service Officer for the Mexican government.

So was my grandfather.

Rob: Wow.

Liliana: My mother's dad.

And, uh, and I was privileged to learn at a very young age how, uh, how wonderful it was to... to represent your country around the world.

Uh, to engage in different relationships to learn about different cultures, uh, to meet, uh, very, very, uh, interesting, uh, individuals that also represented, uh, their countries in other foreign services.

But also-— Rob: Tell me a story from your childhood.

Do you remember, like, from your childhood can you-— what are some that stick with you that said, "“Aha, I...

I want to do that.

"” Liliana: Well, let me... let me tell you that my... my grandfather was mostly, uh, posted in this hemisphere.

He was posted in Canada, in Venezuela, Panama, Jamaica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica.

My father was posted in, uh, countries, Jamaica, Bolivia, but- Cuba- but, uh, countries such as Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, West Africa, what was then known as Yugoslavia, for example.

Rob: Wow.

Liliana: And my childhood was spent in West Africa in Accra, Ghana and, um, and just, uh, the ability to immerse yourself and to know that we're all brothers and sisters, regardless of what location of the planet you're from.

And that, again, going back to your comment on the... the beauty and the importance of learning about each other, uh, when you learn and you dive a little bit into the culture of others you will see, uh, what a beautiful experience it is.

So... so I feel very close to countries like Ghana.

I feel very close to countries like Ethiopia, uh, one of the most ancient, uh, civilizations.

Rob: You have this energy that is so enlightened, and it is so peaceful, and it is it's... it has this lens on life that is so reassuring.

And I think it, in my opinion, it's because of everywhere you'’ve been you bring that with you, and you know the beauty that this world can be if we all just loved each other in the way that you were able to do growing up.

It's as if you have this golden nugget inside of you from everywhere that you've lived and experienced.

And I just wish that for everybody.

Liliana: Well, that's... that's very... that's very kind, uh, Rob, very kind words.

Thank you.

I think...

I think that the bottom line is also that the more you... the more you travel and the more you, uh, you engage in, uh, learning and trying to understand other countries and other peoples, you also are able to see not only the beauty in... in... in them as you have stated, but you also are able to see the challenges that are faced in other countries, including Mexico and the United States, of course, we each have our own, uh, challenges.

Uh, and by challenges, I, mean...

I mean, countries like Ethiopia, tremendous poverty and misery, you know, and disease, uh, but also the beauty and the richness of the culture.

Um, in Mexico also we have, uh, some, uh, some serious challenges, again, as I said, as we do here.

So, when you... when you, um, when you are confronted by these challenges, I think you are driven to, um, do your best at contributing and trying to help resolve, um, these, uh, very challenging issues in our planet.

And uh...

Rob: Cause you'’ve seen what hard work does, I mean, you... you-- the reason I think that it is... it is so productive, what you do, is because you've seen that you truly can.

Each one can reach one, you can make a difference.

Liliana: Exactly.

And I think that that is the beauty of... of public service and, um, and the Foreign Service is public service.

Uh, being able to contribute today, for example, uh, during, uh, COVID-19, 2020-21 to helping the community.

I'm very proud to say that for the last six months, the Mexican consulate has been offering COVID-19 tests to the public at large, not only Mexican nationals, uh, for free, no questions asked no appointment necessary.

Rob: That'’s huge.

Liliana: Um, but... but as of March 8th, 2021, we're also very proud to say that the Mexican consulate opened a vaccine site, another vaccine site in the Sacramento area for vulnerable communities.

And we-- soon we'll be engaging in vaccine sites, pop-up clinics, uh, throughout, uh, the agricultural, uh... uh, Valley to aid essential workers as well.

Rob: I love hearing that.

I love hearing that.

Liliana: So, those are... those are just examples of... of, uh, things that you can do.

And, uh, now that we're, uh, in March 2021, celebrating as of March 8th International Women's Day, I can't resist, but also share one of the most important quotes, uh, one of the last quotes that, uh, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg shared with us that there's, uh, you know, I think a responsibility in each and every one of us, in, uh, engaging and doing our best to do something beyond, you know, the responsibilities that we have every day in our work or our home.

We should all try to do something more, uh, and go beyond a sense of duty to our community, to helping others in any way that we can.

Rob: Thank you for joining us from the consulate in Sacramento.

It'’s great to see you, as always.

Liliana: Thank you for... for allowing me to share a little bit about my life, which is a little bit about Mexico and a little bit of what Mexicans are.

Rob: Thank you so much.

Liliana: It's been a pleasure.

Thank you, Rob.

Rob: You're welcome.

♪♪ Michael: More of Rob'’s the interview with the Consul General can be seen in the "“Extras"” section at kvie.org/SundayStories Next, there'’s a whole lot of furry cuteness - a story with dogs and puppies.

And while the puppies will likely have you cooing, there'’s a lot more than your average human-canine relationship to this story.

We explore the deep bond between a guide dog and the person they'’re assisting.

Janice: I was born with retinitis pigmentosa.

Basically it'’s a degenerative condition of the retina and I'’ve always been legally blind.

Narr: However being blind has not stopped Janice from living a full life... she received a bachelor's degree and established a successful career.

Janice: I felt very accomplished I would say the only thing I was lacking was independence And the guide dog is what gave me all that.

Do you have your collar on?

Yeah.

You ready to go?

My guide dog now is Vargo.

And he'’s my fourth dog.

He'’s just amazing.

He loves his job and he just loves everything about being a working dog you can just tell.

Good boy Vargo.

Forward.

He'’s everything I want in a guide dog which is he is driven.

He takes initiative.

You have that confidence to go out and do things on your own.

run errands around the neighborhood.

Receptionist: Hi Janice, how are you?

Janice: I'm good , how about you?

Receptionist: Good.

Go beyond your own neighborhood.

I always feel like when I get into trouble, if I start to get lost I just reach down and you know touch him on the head or his back and he just gives me comfort and okay we'’re in this together.

We will figure this out.

(Train sounds) You put your life into their hands, basically every time you go out of the house with them.

Let'’s wait for the bus.

See.

Wait for the bus here.

Having a guide dog has changed my life a lot.

And it'’s in looking back that you realize how my life has changed and how it evolved through getting that first guide dog and not knowing what the possibilities were going to be for me.

I had gotten my first guide dog in 1994 from Guide dogs for the blind in San Rafael.

Mine was Naples.

We really clicked.

Naples and I Chris: That team bond does take time and every single time, there'’s always a touch of magic that goes into that pairing.

Something that we never in a million years could have thought about.

But it'’s there and it makes the bond unique.

The creation of a guide dog is a huge process.

Actually starts at the DNA level.

We breed our own dogs.

Approximately 900 puppies are born every year here on our San Rafael campus.

The first 10 weeks of life are critically important for the development of a dog.

Similar to the first three years of life for a human... Basically the foundation for who you will become is set So what we'’re doing on our campus is exposing our puppies to as much of the world as we can we want them to hear loud noises, different surfaces, play, lots of different people lots of touch.

We have this wonderful position here called '‘cuddler and that starts that process so that that foundation is set.

Good boy!

In order to be a guide dog you have to be able to focus.

You have to have confidence, but not dominance.

What it also takes to be a guide dog, believe it or not, is you have to learn to be able to walk in a straight line.

Now, not all dogs can do that.

You have to relinquish all trust to the guide dog.

So you as a person have to let the guide dog make decisions for you.

Janice: The first time I got to walk with a guide dog was a pretty amazing experience.

It was scary, It was exhilarating because you were walking faster than you had ever walked on your own And you just start thinking, this is a dog.

A dog'’s guiding me, this is kind of scary, how do I trust him?

You know, and that'’s what you'’re doing is building that trust and building that partnership.

Naples and I Never skipped a beat.

And it was Naples that gave me the confidence.

Chris: It's wonderful to see that incredible bond between our clients and our guides.

And everything that our clients accomplish because of that bond.

Janice: Naples helped me to grow.

And to say I want more out of life and I can do more than I'’m doing here.

So it was just what I needed.

Narr: Janice got the courage to start a new life, with her loyal companion by her side.

She eventually found love.

She met Courtney and they married in 2002.

And it was Courtney who introduced Janice to the sport of archery.

Janice: Because Courtney loves the sport so much I thought I want to try and do that.

See what it'’s like.

(Arrow hitting target) Courtney: She doesn'’t let anything hold her back.

You know, here is a visually impaired person shooting archery.

She was the pioneer.

18,19 years ago.

She got up there and she started shooting and we had a crowd behind us that was just couldn'’t believe what we'’re doing.

Narr: Janice became the first blind archer in the U.S. to compete at a national level Today, she'’s a world-class competitive archer - currently holding both world and national records in archery for the visually impaired.

(Arrow hitting target) And all of this probably wouldn'’t have happened if it wasn'’t for her dog Naples Come on Naples!

Woof woof.

I had Naples for 10 years and he passed away in 2004.

When I lost Naples.

That was my first experience.

it'’s like you just feel like you'’ve lost your right hand, your right arm, there'’s just something missing and just the hole in your heart.

You need that dog, you want that independence back that you had.

So I went back three months later and it was very difficult for me because I wasn'’t through grieving for Naples.

♪♪ ♪♪ The puppy raiser, she said he has white over his shoulders.

She called them his angel wings because the coloring over his shoulders if lighter I guess then the rest.

I think that dogs are a special gift from God.

They'’re amazing creatures so we'’re very fortunate.

I'’ve got you, I'’ve got you.

Silly goose, silly goose.

It'’s amazing to me what a guide dog is capable of.

I still don'’t get how they do what they do.

It'’s always a mystery and I really can'’t believe they'’re there and doing this for us.

Chris: Every team that we graduate, we really believe that we'’re helping to change the world in a positive way.

They make the world a better place and they make us better people because of it.

Janice: I'’m just a person who'’s blind and, and wants to participate in life as fully as I can.

And a guide dog helps me do that in a big way ♪♪ ♪♪ Michael: What a great story, we wish Janice and Vargo the best!

For out next story, we head to Calaveras County and join a virtual learning tour hosted by the California State Parks that introduces students to parks across the state.

♪♪ Jenny: Welcome first graders room 7 to Calaveras Big Trees State Park!

Michael: Park ranger Jenny Comperda loves talking with kids about the giant Sequoias and other flora and fauna at Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

In the past, these first-graders might have discovered these gentle giants on an actual field trip.

But here, the experience has gone virtual...thanks to an ambitious effort by California State Parks.

It'’s called PORTS...

Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students.

Jenny: We'’re spending the next forty minutes or so learning all about these trees.

We'’re going to read a story.

We'’re going to take a short little nature walk, And we'’re going to have lots and lots of fun!

Jenny: It's very hard to come into the Sierra Nevada.

They don't have the ability to go anywhere right now, especially during pandemic.

So I'm planting that seed of these trees.

These trees are extremely rare.

They're California natives.

They don't grow everywhere.

So they get to have that in their hearts now.

Michael: The state parks'’ PORTS program actually started in 2004.

But with COVID closing hundreds of schools and forcing kids to learn from home, the need for, and use of, live remote learning skyrocketed.

Thankfully, advances in technology has made it much easier for teachers, parents, and kids to use... and fully participate in free learning opportunities like this one.

Jenny: So first graders, what would be the biggest animal we would find here at Calaveras Big Trees State park, and the mountains in the forest of California.

What would be the biggest?

It's like this big it's got big paws.

Really big paws.

(All kids:) "“BEAR!

"” Jenny: And you are correct, first graders.

The black bear.

A.J.

: I've only seen small trees and I've never seen big trees like that.

So it makes me want to see how tall that tree is in real life.

Amy: I was very proud of everybody for participating and asking and sharing their thoughts.

You know, that's a big deal for six and seven year olds to do that.

"” Michael: Amy Dedeaux is a first grade teacher at Short Avenue Elementary School.

She'’s such an enthusiastic supporter of the program, she'’s signed her students up for multiple sessions.

The first, at Hearst Castle, she described as "“magical and special"” .... while Big Trees gave her Los Angeles students a look at trees and snow they may have never experienced in person before.

Amy: This will defiantly be part of something moving forward.

You know, whether we're COVID or not, you know, virtual field trips will be a part of my curriculum and a part of our learning, because we have a lot of access in Los Angeles, but we could never visit Hearst castle.

We could never go to the Sequoias.

So now, you know, we can do that.

Jenny: What's a footless long, short animal that's dangerous?

Kids: Snake.

Kid Not a snake.

A.J.

: I thought today's field trip was two thumbs up.

Michael: As a Program Presenter, Jenny Comperda figures she'’s connected with classrooms in almost every state, even internationally.

Program manager Brad Krey estimates 200,000 students and teachers will use this free service over the 2021 school year...almost a four-fold yearly increase from before the pandemic.

Forty state parks offer a wide variety of live remote classroom experiences: Nature programs like the one at Anza Borrego Desert State Park, Bodie, Columbia and Sutter'’s Fort State Historic Parks; even unexpected experiences like stately Hearst Castle or underwater in Monterey Bay.

Brad: These content experts are park interpreters.

They are educators, the ones that know and love and care about it.

They're scientists, they're historians.

They're the storytellers of these resources.

They have access to them.

Ranger: Good morning everyone.

Brad: This has really kind of shaken out to be, I think, one of the best ways possible to use education technology, video communications, um, and put it in unique locations because that's people deserve: access to their California state parks.

Jenny: We'’re really lucky to live in California.

We have the best trees on Earth right in our state!

It means the world to me, this is why I do what I do.

It's like so important that these kids get to see more of California, beyond their backyard, beyond their neighborhood, beyond what they're used to expanding their world and showing them what is out there.

Thank you for coming, and I hope someday you can visit these trees in person!

(Kids) Thank you!

♪♪ Michael: As Ranger Jenny said, how lucky are we to live in California!

And finally, today, the story of Casa de Español.

A learning space created by owner Maria Harrington for folks to live and love the Spanish language and celebrate the cultures of Spanish speaking countries.

♪♪ Maria Harrington: There was one point, you know, it was about four weeks into the pandemic.

We didn'’t know if we were going to be able to continue.

But my husband said '‘If Casa dies, it will be a noble death.

'’ And for me, I took solace in that.

We'’ve done everything we can and if this doesn'’t work out; well we will just have to figure something else out.

And I think we'’ve been extremely fortunate being able to continue to do our mission, which is having a space for people to live and love the language.

Tyler: Casa de Espanol is a school for all ages to learn the Spanish language.

It'’s also a place to celebrate the cultures of Latin America and Spain.

Prior to the pandemic, they hosted cultural events, summer camps, as well overseas trips to spanish-speaking countries Maria: That was the goal from the beginning of Casa de Espanol We wanted to have that place for people who wanted to learn Spanish as well as people who are native Spanish speakers to really come together and exchange language as well as cultures.

We want to make sure you feel a part of the community and a part of something.

♪♪ Maria: !¡Bienvenidos a todos!

You are all very welcome here at Casa de Español... Tyler: Not only do you run the business, but you'’re one of the teachers, right?

Maria: Yes, I am one of the teachers.

We have at the moment we have six teachers from different backgrounds.

We have one teacher from Cuba, one from Columbia, a couple of us are from Mexico.

And then we have a couple others from various parts of Latin America.

That way the students really get to have an opportunity to get a real authentic world view of what speaking Spanish is.

♪♪ I think that the most surprising thing as a teacher in general is how much you learn from your students.

I tell my students every session that really I'’m the one learning more from them than they are from me.

But I think that it'’s a calling that is really special to be able to share learning, teaching, being a better person.

And the fact that I'’m able to do that with my culture and be not only an instructor of the culture, but also a representation of the culture.

That'’s very special to me.

Tyler: So give me a little background on yourself.

Maria: I was born originally in Mexico.

My mom is from Mexico and My Dad is from the United States.

When I was about eight, nine months old, we were able to come here to the United States.

So I grew up basically in Sacramento, California, I was always between countries.

So I really had both languages and also both cultures because my father, he'’s not of Latino descent.

So he always spoke to me in English.

My mom always spoke to me in Spanish.

There was a long moment where I didn'’t really understand that there were two languages but as I got older and I started to see how other people spoke, I realized that I had a wider vocabulary.

And so that was my first experience with being multilingual and cultural.

Tyler: However, Maria stopped speaking spanish for many years due to an incident that happened to her at a young age.

Maria: I was told when I started kindergarten that if I continue to speak Spanish and I continued to be in both cultures that I would never really learn how to speak English correctly.

I was told that I would never be a real American if I continued with both.

And it was my principal who had told me this.

It was a shock for me to hear someone who I respected so much to say that.

Once sixth, seventh grade hit - all of a sudden I found other people who were of Latino background and they spoke Spanish and I couldn'’t anymore.

Tyler: How much did that play a role in what you'’re doing today?

Maria: I think that that'’s something that'’s been always in the back of my mind of wanting to make sure that other people don'’t have that experience.

That they'’re proud of it because, number one - it'’s not true, right?

But the other thing is that it'’s making children and people suppress something that, who they are.

It'’s their identity.

And no matter how much you try and suppress it, it'’s you.

That kind of began my quest.

And that'’s really what empowered me later on in life to get my degree in Spanish.

And then I got my master'’s in Latin American studies.

So it'’s kind of been this whole process of finding my own identity within it.

Tyler: Maria went onto become a Spanish teacher in the bay area, it was during this time she met her husband who happened to be from Sacramento as well.

The two of them decided to return to their hometown to start a new chapter together.

It was then, when Maria came up with her business idea.

She founded Casa de Espanol in twenty eleven.

Tyler: You have to be proud of what you have accomplished.

How did you make this business dream a reality?

Maria: It'’s just true grit.

You just make it happen somehow.

And I think that I, more than anything, I just learned, how to work really hard.

My dad was an inspiration and my Mom as well has been a real inspiration of that.

My dad was a small business owner and then my mom, she was a bilingual education teacher.

And so I ended up now being both.

Tyler: Maria also attributes much of her success to local business associations such as the capital region'’s small business and development center, who provided her with a business mentor.

Maria: I think that this is something that'’s very key and pivotal, and not only that, something that a lot of minority business owners don'’t know that exists.

It gives you a breath, right?

That extra breath that you need when someone calls you and says, Maria, I think that your, your business could do this.

Or you would be a good candidate for this.

Or how are you doing today?

Are you surviving?

I mean it'’s such a wonderful community to be in Sacramento and be a small business owner.

And I think that that'’s been huge and key for us.

Tyler: With the help of these associations - Casa de Espanol became an integral part of the Sacramento community.

What started out as a mere twenty five students, grew to several hundred students of all ages.

And after being in business close to ten years, 2020 was looking good.

Maria: And then all of a sudden, like for everybody, right?

It was kind of like a blow.

We saw a drastic drop.

We actually lost about 28% of our student enrollment for adults.

Then summer hit and we still weren'’t able to be in class or in person.

And that was a huge hit for us, the loss of our summer camps.

You don'’t know how far or how long it'’s going to last.

It was really, really difficult and something difficult to struggle with.

Tyler: How did you guys pivot?

Maria: We were told to go home, I think, on Wednesday and then that weekend we had to set up a whole program online for students to be able to access.

We didn'’t sleep that weekend or the next probably three, four weeks where it was just constant all weekend, trying to figure it out.

We got everything up online and we started the classes.

Student: Buenas tardes, Profesora.

Maria: !¡Buenas tardes!

¿Cómo estás?

Tyler: So tell me about that challenge of trying to teach a different language remotely now.

Maria: Teaching remotely has been very interesting (laughs).

I think that the biggest thing that'’s different is the feel of being within a community, that you'’re doing it together.

There'’s a certain energy that you have and something that I really look for is that feeling of comfort and that we'’re all gonna get to the next level together.

And so creating that and building that community online.

That was difficult.

Maria: ¿El estudiante o la estudiante?

Student: !¡La estudiante!

(laughs) Not only are the classes online, but so too are their events.

Maria: We'’ve done a cooking class, an art class, Teacher: So you can add different elements Maria: Book reading.

Teacher: el alcalde del pueblo... Maria: People, whether they'’re stuck at home or when they'’re not stuck at home, they'’re, they'’re searching for that opportunity to be able to enjoy other cultures.

So we'’re excited to be able to offer that because, again, it'’s a community.

♪♪ Maria: A lot of our students mentioned how much they miss going to Casa.

Knowing that gives you that strength to go on.

That what you do and what you do and what you offer is something that'’s very personal and very important for other people.

And okay, we'’re doing it for a reason.

Keep going, keep going.

Maria: I think that no one is an Island and having connections to people who really care, has been what has gotten me through and I think that that'’s kind of what it looked like with a pandemic, that everyone kind of got together and tried to find those connections.

I'’m just so proud to be part of a wonderful community that has figured things out as best we can together.

That fact motivates me to continue.

It makes me feel comfortable and happy and excited for the future.

And the support that Casa de Espanol has received from so many people.

We are just so appreciative.

In the hard times, I just keep thinking and repeating in my head - Si se puede.

Si se puede, Sacramento.

Just keep going, we'’re going to do it together.

And we'’re just so happy to be a part of you.

♪♪ ♪♪ Michael: Maria'’s story of finding herself, and then parlaying her love of her culture into a successful business is inspiring.

We wish her and Casa de Español continued success.

And that'’s it for today.

I'’m Michael Sanford.

It'’s been a pleasure being a part of your Sunday.

We hope you'’ve enjoyed today'’s stories and that you'’ll be back for another episode of Sunday Stories.

Until then, have a great week.

♪♪ ♪♪