The Commerce Community Plaza – a designated site designed to educate Latino American youths and adults in the area with English as a Second Language classes and other programs – was officially opened in a ceremony last night at the A.C. Williams Elementary School cafeteria.
Commerce ISD has been leading the charge to bring a Community Plaza to the region for almost two years. The initial plan was to host ESL classes, and this turned into an official designation by the Mexican Consulate in Dallas to create the first Community Plaza for Northeast Texas.
A&M-Commerce President Dr. Dan Jones was in attendance. Coordinator for the university’s Hispanic Outreach and Student Programs Gilbert Hernandez was the master of ceremonies, and other A&M-Commerce students also came to support the program.
“A lot of things have changed since 1889 when our founder came to the state and started East Texas Normal College,” Jones said. “But, one very important thing has not changed, and that is the reason why we are here. We are still here to make a difference in the life of the region.”
Volunteers for the Plaza will include A&M-Commerce students. Commerce ISD Superintendant Blake Cooper said this project shows what is possible when parts of a community join forces.
“This is a great example of the positive different communities and organizations can have when their efforts can come together for the benefit of others,” Cooper said while addressing the crowd. “The idea of the plaza is now becoming a reality through the efforts of many people. Commerce ISD is proud to host the plaza for this region of Texas. We expect great things to come from this opportunity.”
Mexican Consul General Juan Carlos Cue Vega said he was excited to see educational opportunities for Latino Americans come to the region, especially for adults.
“Many [adults], when they left Mexico, they didn’t get the opportunity to finish their elementary education,” he said. “So, for them, it is a good opportunity to have a place with resources, with volunteer people and with materials for the Mexican government to prepare themselves and obtain that education.”
A&M-Commerce’s Fusion Dance Group performed a traditional Mexican dance at the event. There was also a salsa and enchilada cooking contest.
Programs for the first cohort of families will begin on Feb. 6. These will include tutoring in basic literacy, ESL instruction, GED in Spanish prep courses, and citizenship classes.