PORTLAND, Ore. — Juntos Aprendemos helps make sure that a Latino child’s first school experience takes place in a nurturing environment that embraces the student’s parents, culture and first language. The PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning, Pacific Power’s charitable arm, donated $1,000 to the early-literacy program.

Juntos Aprendemos, which is Spanish for “we learn together,” is a kindergarten readiness program that promotes early literacy for low-income Latino families with children ages 3 to 5. The project serves about 55 children and their parents at Rigler and Scott elementary schools in Northeast Portland.

“Family involvement is the key principle in building the foundation for a child’s success in school,” said Maria Lisa Johnson, executive director of the Latino Network, which operates Juntos Aprendemos. “While children gain literacy skills, their parents learn how to best help foster learning at home.”

Each session begins with an interactive reading circle that introduces preschool children to the excitement of reading. Parents observe methods for engaging children in stories, and they receive training from librarians and reading teachers. In breakout sessions, parents practice reading books from the lending library. Parents who were not read to when they were children can gain confidence to read to their own children.

An important component of the program is the cultural reinforcement children receive. Juntos Aprendemos staff is comprised primarily of parent leaders from the Latino community.

Children gain kindergarten readiness skills by participating in the interactive reading circle; learning letters, numbers and colors; using art supplies and educational toys; following teacher instructions; and interacting with other children in a school setting.

“Helping make sure our children begin school ready to learn is one of the primary goals of our foundation,” said Sheila Holden, regional community manager for Pacific Power. “We believe we have a stake in the communities we serve, and this is one way Pacific Power can help.”

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