Alejandro Islas, 4, sits on the couch at his home next to Ruth Castro, a teacher with the Migrant Education Even Start Program.

Digging into the large wheeled crate she brought with her, Castro - who is also an aide at Ontiveros Elementary School - eventually selects a Spanish-language book titled “Bombon.”

As Castro delves into the tale of an adventurous rabbit named Bombon and his many animal friends, Alejandro is clearly delighted, often squealing and laughing at the rabbit's highly comedic foibles.

“Bombon,” Alejandro declares when asked, “is my favorite.”

Migrant Education Even Start (MEES) is a statewide program to help children like Alejandro - whose parents are both migrant workers - prepare for kindergarten.

Through the MEES Program, migrant children have home instruction and go to special summer school. Parents are also given tools to help boost their children's chances of succeeding in school.

The California Department of Education recently awarded $5.7 million to school districts across the state to expand their MEES offerings - including the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, which serves a large migrant population and has 30 students enrolled in its MEES program.

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Santa Maria-Bonita received nearly $127,000 from the grant, while the Santa Barbara County Office of Education received about $215,000.

The Islas family's comfortable, one-story home is sparkling clean and simply decorated.

Family photos adorn the wall, alongside a reproduction of a portrait of the late Pope John Paul II. The smell of something baking lingers in the air.

Alejandro is busy cutting out pictures from a worksheet on the Three Bears.

During his hour-long session with Castro, Alejandro has also read two books - including Goldilocks and the Three Bears in Spanish - made homemade Play-Doh, and sung “The Itsy, Bitsy Spider.”

Now the pre-schooler must paste the pictures in their proper order, from smallest to biggest.

“A lot of this he'll have in kindergarten,” said MEES director Mary Woodruff.

Even Alejandro's 7-month-old brother, Roberto, gets into the act, and he is given a toothbrush, baby toys and a book for the boys' mother, Maria, to read to him.

The MEES sessions require heavy parental involvement, and parents are taught to serve as active participants in their children's education.

“We encourage (parents) to read to (their children) whether it's in Spanish or English,” said Woodruff. “Working with language skills is important because a strong primary language equals strong English skills.”

Migrants parents often feel intimidated by the school system because they have had little education themselves and lack a strong command of the English language, Woodruff added.

Thus, they find themselves at a loss on how to help their children through school.

Education is the primary focus of her household, said Islas, who moved to the United States in 1990 with her husband, Santiago.

Islas said she takes Alejandro to the library regularly, and both parents talk to their children at length about college.

The family, Islas said, has traveled throughout California following the crops. Now, they mostly travel between Salinas in the summer and Santa Maria, where her husband works in a broccoli field.

“Sometimes it's hard,” said Islas of the constant moving. However, despite the moves, her children continue to do well.

While Alejandro continues to progress nicely in the MEES program, his oldest brother Manuel, 17, is preparing to go to Hancock College in the fall, and his other brother Emilio, 11, earns good grades at Ontiveros Elementary School.

The MEES program, Islas said, has made a huge difference to her family.

Manuel did not have the opportunity to take part in the home visit portion of the program.

And though he does well in school, Islas said, she feels his transition to school would have been even easier if he had access to the MEES program.

“They advance faster. They go in ready,” she added.

When asked about her hopes for her children, Islas paused for just a moment before answering.

“I want them to have a secure future and a good education.”

Natalie Ragus can be reached at 347-4580 or nragus@santamariatimes.com.

January 11, 2008