For this week’s Community Spotlight series, we are featuring Pixie Dreams, an education company that practices an integral concept of values in education through different resources tailored for schools, teachers, and parents. The company started with their Instagram account @pixiedreams.inc and now offers a Values Program that includes a Curriculum for schools, a children’s book and the ABC Values flashcards designed to teach values and transform communities to make a better world. Corina Bethencourt and Isabela Morales, Co-Founders of Pixie Dreams, share why they created the Pixie Dreams educational program intended to develop core societal values starting with our little ones.  

Corina Bethancourt is a passionate mother, teacher, and entrepreneur. Corina completed her studies at Florida International University (FIU) and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a double major in Management and Entrepreneurship. She received her Master’s Degree in Global Education at (FIU). During this time she taught in various grade levels and disciplines in many international and local public schools. Corina quickly found her niche as an English Language Learner (ELL) teacher and completed a Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) Certification at University of Miami (UM) and later became a FTCE K-6 certified teacher in the state of Florida. 

Isabela grew up in Venezuela where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Education with a major in Early Childhood Education at Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, Venezuela. Isabela worked with many schools both in the private and public sectors and loved every experience because of the amazing lessons each of her students taught her along the way. She then decided that she wanted to continue to learn and most importantly make a big difference and impact the lives of others. She soon obtained her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Public Policy at Fordham University in New York City.

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In this episode, Hilda Atuncar discusses her experience as a first-generation college student, gives tips to parents who want their kids to go to college and shares why it’s important for kids to read. Hilda is the daughter of Immigrant parents from Peru and the first person in her family to go to college. Hilda shares her triumphs and struggles as she reaches for her dream of becoming a pediatrician and working with Doctors Without Borders.

Hilda has a long history of civil service and has been recognized for her many academic achievements. When she was a senior at Warren High School,  Hilda beat out more than 10,000 high school students across the country to win a $10,000 college scholarship from Nordstrom. Nordstrom awarded the scholarship to only 80 students in 2014. Hilda also served as a member of the Book Club, secretary of the Mock Trial Club and vice president of the Garden Club.

After high school, Hilda graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Hilda is now enrolled at The University of Southern California’s Post Graduate, Pre Medical School Program and is an intern with the UCL Mobile Eye Clinic. Hilda is author of the Read Conmigo book "Everything Looks Fuzzy."

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Ensuring kids have good vision is key for their physical development and academic success. This week we are interviewing Kara Mondino, Program Coordinator for the UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic, to talk about the importance of getting your child’s vision screened ever year. The UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic is committed to help improve eye health for young, underserved children by identifying, treating, and preventing vision disorders. 

In this episode, Kara also shares some signs to look for to determine if your child is having eye problems, whether screen time is affecting their vision, and why it was important for her to partner with Read Conmigo to publish a children’s book about eye care. Kara has worked in the nonprofit field for over 10 years and is passionate about influencing positive social change.

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For this week’s Community Spotlight series, we are featuring Project SPELL, a tutoring program that helps UCLA service employees learn English on campus. Stephanie Youngblood, program director for Project SPELL, shares how UCLA undergraduate and graduate student volunteers are paired with UCLA frontline employees from custodial, maintenance, and food service units, for personalized tutoring in English as a Second Language. Some of Project SPELL’s graduates have earned U.S. citizenship, received promotions or enrolled in community college. 

Stephanie also manages Language and Literacy Programs for UCLA Administration’s Organizational Effectiveness and Development unit. She received her M.A. in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Teachers College, Columbia University and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Connecticut. Stephanie feels blessed to work with some of the greatest employees and volunteers in Los Angeles and is very grateful for the opportunity to support them in their dreams.

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Did you know volunteering can boost kids’ self-esteem and help them develop emotional stability? This week we have on the show Brian Rosenbaum, MSW, CVA, to discuss some of the benefits of volunteering, ways you can give back with your family, and how to address complex issues like homelessness with your children. As Engagement Manager for United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Brian oversees United Way’s year-round calendar of volunteer and engagement opportunities and shares how you and your family can get involved.

This episode is also our first Community Spotlight segment, where we highlight an organization that’s making a difference in the community, and we talk about what United Way is doing to end the cycle of poverty for our most vulnerable neighbors. Brian serves as Board President for Young Nonprofit Professionals Network Los Angeles, leading an all-volunteer board that works to support, connect, and empower emerging mission-driven professionals in LA. He has more than 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and also shares advice for anyone who wants to start a career in this field. In his spare time, Brian can be found running, cooking, gardening, or speaking Spanish to his 9 month-old son.

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In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are releasing this episode completely in Spanish. For this special edition, we are joined by Mariachi singer, Alan Ponce, who is sharing how this genre changed his life and helped him connect with his Mexican roots. Mariachi is one of the most popular music genres in Mexico and Alan’s mission is to help preserve this tradition and pass it on to the new generations.

In this episode, Alan shares tips for helping children develop appreciation for their family origins and discusses how music impacts literacy. Alan has been on television shows like Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento and La Voz Kids. He just released his first record album, Sin Más Ni Más. Alan is also a Read Conmigo author. His book is titled "The Mariachi Brothers" and it inspires children to learn about Mariachi music.

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What can you do to raise healthy kids? Today’s guest, Dr. Leila Yoonessi, is giving us her top advice for raising healthy children. Dr. Yoonessi is a board certified pediatric pulmonologist practicing at MY Pediatrics and Respiratory Care Clinic in Long Beach, CA. Her practice focuses on community empowerment, community engagement, patient education, preventative medicine, and respiratory care.

In this episode, we discuss children’s nutrition, the recommended water intake, physically activity, and amount of sleep kids should be getting every day, the importance of sunscreen use, how to identify signs of anxiety or stress in your child, and benefits of raising multilingual kids. Dr. Yoonesssi is also a Read Conmigo author and her book is titled “David Goes to the Doctor.” She remains committed to patient advocacy, research, integrative work, holistic health, and non-profit work.

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Transitions are hard, especially when you are moving to a new school or a new country. Today’s guest, Nury Castillo Crawford, is sharing tangible tips you can use as a parent or educator to help kids make this transition. Nury is a life-long educator with over 20 years of experience supporting students and parents.  

In this episode, we also talk about biliteracy and the need for children’s books with Latino characters, the most valuable lessons she learned from her parents, and the importance of helping children embrace their culture. Her debut bilingual children’s book is called '3,585 Miles to Be an American Girl' and it’s based on her personal story of moving from Peru to the United States at 10 years old.

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Reading to your child is one of the most important things you can do as a parent, but how do you make story time fun? Today’s guest, Eileen of KidTime StoryTime, is giving us her top tips for making story time fun and engaging at home. Eileen created the KidTime StoryTime YouTube channel to inspire kids to fall in love with reading in English and Spanish. Her channel brings books to life with puppets and humor. 

In this episode, Eileen talks about growing up bilingual in a Cuban-American family, pursuing a career in writing, and using your talents for the greater good. Eileen also wrote the Read Conmigo book titled Grandparents Game Night,  a story about love, friendship, and family traditions.

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The Read Conmigo Podcast inspires and enables parents to raise bilingual, bicultural, and kindhearted children. Each episode is filled with tips and real-life stories of students, educators, and parents sharing their bilingual journey and how they are making a difference today. Listen to our trailer now to learn more about what's coming next!

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