Sunday, September 23, 2007

Successful HIPPY Reception at Vistas

(left to right) Juanita Elizondo, Carla Weir, Alfreda Rollins, David Tisdale,
Adriana Trevino, Susan Blackburn and Yolanda Smith in the middle!
Thanks to everyone who came out to support HIPPY at the 9th Annual Vistas Latino Film Festival. The showing of "Viva Cuba" was very well received, and the reception following the film was attended by HIPPY friends and new aquaintances from the film festival.
A big thanks expecially to:

* JFrank Hernandez and the Herculano and Elida Hernandez Foundation who sponsors the Vistas Latino Film Festival

* Juanita Elizondo and Fiesta Mart

* Carlos Branger and Zaguan Bakery

* Mark Wren and Half Price Books

* Mary Green and KERA

* Brandy Koerner and Paciugo

* All the HIPPY supporters and staff who sold tickets and joined us at the event

We plan on continuing our year of celebration, so watch this space for opportunitites to join us, support us or volunteer! For more pictures of the reception including our special appearance from "Maya and Miguel", check out our flickr page:

http://flickr.com/photos/13890525@N05/

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

HIPPY Reception at Vistas Latino Film Festival


Upcoming this Saturday, September 22nd at the Angelica. For full information check out our website!!!

www.unt.edu/hippy

We're really looking forward to this, our first, celebration of the 20 years of HIPPY in Texas! It's exciting to partner with the Vista's Latino Film Festival and we're looking forward to a successful event.

A big THANK YOU to our other partners for the event:


* Paciugo Gelato, for the goodies!


* Fiesta Supermarkets, for the refreshments!


* Zaguan Bakery, for the baked breads!


* KERA, for bringing "Maya and Miguel" to our party!


* The Volunteer Center of North Texas, Donated Goods program


Everyone who has (or will soon!) purchase tickets for the event!!! And to the coordinators, staff, and board members who purchased or sold tickets! Thanks!

Thursday, September 06, 2007

HIPPY Around the World

Home Visit, El Salvador


I had the opportunity to see HIPPY in another cultural context this summer during my visit to El Salvador. It was so interesting to experience the familiarity of HIPPY in such a different context.

It reminded me that 20 years ago I had the opportunity to see HIPPY in Israel when I went to preservice training. At that time all new coordinators had to travel to Israel to receive training from founder Avima Lombard at Hebrew University. I was lucky enough to be sent there and get a feel for the program. Even though the home visits and parent meetings I saw were conducted in Hebrew and I couldn't really understand what was going on, I could feel it! One of the things I took from that experience is that it is an honor to be allowed into people's homes, and the trust we build with families is a sacred bond.

I've had a chance to see HIPPY in action in such varied communities as Bed-Stuy in NYC, rural Colorado, Hawaii, a colonia in Laredo Texas and the island of Guam. Maybe someday I'll get to see more of our international programs. We now have programs in the following:

Australia
Austria
Canada
El Salvador
Germany
Holland
Israel
Italy
New Zealand
South Africa
Turkey
United States





The "simple" model of parents helping parents to prepare their children for school has taken hold and changed the lives of so many families, world wide!