Story by Jennie Trejo. Photos provided by Bachman Lake Together.
Dr. Olga Martinez Hickman grew up in a neighborhood in South Texas that is very similar demographically to the Bachman Lake area in Dallas. Olga’s mom sent her to Headstart as a form of childcare rather than as a means to get her ahead in school and life. Now, equipped with a PhD in family engagement, Olga uses her experience to help guide local families to prepare every child in the community for kindergarten.
Olga is the Executive Director of Bachman Lake Together, a nonprofit that empowers families of young children in Bachman Lake, many of whom are new to this country, to be their children’s first teachers and advocates. By bringing together educators, community partners, and local leadership, Bachman Lake Together aims to create a neighborhood where the developmental and learning needs of all children are fully met.
“The children in Bachman Lake don’t necessarily have the same opportunities that other children in other Dallas zip codes have, specifically when it comes to school,” Olga says. She further explains that there are not enough daycares or home centers to meet the demand for preschool programs, resulting in many children staying at home.
“Even if that’s the choice of a parent to keep their child at home, we also want to ensure that they’re well versed in how much brain development occurs in those first five years of life,” Olga says. “Research shows that 85 percent of the brain is developed by the age of five. We want to ensure that if the child is at home with mom, tia, or grandma, they are able to understand what needs to be happening at every developmental age. That way, when that child goes to preschool or to kindergarten, they are at the same level as their peers or even ahead.”
The Community Action Network (CAN) parent leadership program is a shining example of Bachman Lake Together’s mission in action. The program empowers parents to become advocates for their children’s education and leaders in the community, operating on a dual-generational model where both parents and preschoolers work together to achieve academic success.
“This program has been the birth child of Bachman Lake Together,” Olga says. “From its inception, there has been a lot of research on the community. One of the reasons investment was made in this community was because we had one of the largest numbers of children under the age of five. But we also had a large immigrant community, and a population that was not well versed in the accessibility and importance of Pre-K.”
Last month, 18 Bachman Lake-area parents graduated from the nine-month CAN program, which equipped them with the skills and knowledge to advance their children’s education and well-being. Additionally, 13 parents, who completed advanced levels of the program, were also celebrated for their achievements in volunteer leadership and early education advocacy.
The bilingual ceremony was held at the Bachman Recreation Center. Sixteen preschool graduates from AVANCE North Texas joined their parents in celebrating this milestone, recognizing the shared success of two generations.
Olga explains that there are different levels for parents. Level one includes foundational information, such as finding out about the US school system and knowing their rights. The advanced levels focus on leadership skills such as facilitating discussions or giving presentations.
“The true growth has been seeing parents go from involvement, to engagement, to leadership,” Olga says. “When you’re involved, you go to the PTA meeting, and then you check off the box for attending. When you’re engaged, you can help kids with their homework. And when you’re a leader, going to the school board, and talking about what needs to change, because now I know what is going on and can advocate for my community.”
Bachman Lake Together’s efforts extend beyond the classroom to encompass community engagement and outreach. Olga says the organization is proud to have a diverse staff that fosters trust and understanding among the people we serve.
“We are truly versed in community voice. We feel that the people who are closest to the problem should be part of the solution,” Olga explains. “What we’ve seen is that nobody wants to hear from a lady in a jacket; they want to hear from the person who knows them very well.”
In addition, Parents involved in the CAN program have become influential leaders in their community. Olga has two parents who have served on her board of directors for six years.
“You’re talking about women who spoke no English when they walked through the doors,” Olga explains. “I believe that you should speak in the language of your heart. So if you speak Spanish, that’s great. But they wanted to know English, and they learned it, and now they speak to funders and at large functions.”
As a result of Bachman’s Lake Together’s efforts and the CAN Program, Olga says that she has witnessed full transformation and seen entire families– not just mom– get truly immersed in their children’s learning.
In the future, Olga envisions solidifying and growing this curriculum to be a model that others can learn from. She would like to scale it for other organizations that want to learn from us to implement other parts of Dallas so that it can reach more families.
“It is important to know that the work that we’ve done has taken a lot of time and a lot of trust. It takes listening. It takes a different approach and really understanding the community that you serve.”
She also emphasizes that the Latino immigrant community is not a monolith, so one-size-fits-all solutions would not be effective.
“We are now getting people from various areas, including indigenous roots, who don’t speak Spanish, which requires adjustments. While we aim to scale, it’s challenging to replicate our model. Understanding and listening to the unique needs of the community is crucial for creating transformational change, not just temporary solutions.”
If you want to learn more about Bachman Lake Together and support their mission, you can read more on their website. A big way to help is by spreading the word.
“A lot of people say we are Dallas’ best-kept secret,” Olga says. “But for those especially who are coming in and are fearful and don’t have someone they can trust, we want to be able to tailor it so that they feel safe and confident in learning with us and from us.”
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