Culture, Community, and Connection

September 15th through October 15th is National Hispanic American Heritage Month, celebrating the contributions of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation.  Listen as Dr. Jessica Meléndez-Carrillo, a lifelong educator, discusses the importance of embracing a cultural community with understanding, respect, and support.  In addition, she shares best practices for supporting military-connected students and their families.   This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Air and Space Forces Spouses’ Club of Washington DC. To learn more, visit https://www.afoscdc.com/.   Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.   Show Notes: Resources:   2022 Demographics Profile of the Military Community https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24177791/2022-demographics-report.pdf   https://www.militaryonesource.mil/data-research-and-statistics/military-community-demographics/   Economic and International Development Population Demographics- City of El Paso https://www.elpasotexas.gov/economic-development/economic-snapshot/population-demographics/   Texas Education Agency Purple Star Campus Designation https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/other-services/military-families/purple-star-campus-designation   Congressman Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary School https://res.canutillo-isd.org/   Canutillo Independent School District https://www.canutillo-isd.org/ Bio: Dr. Jessica Meléndez-Carrillo serves as Principal at Congressman Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary School in El Paso, Texas in the Canutillo Independent School District. Dr. Meléndez-Carrillo has worked in public education for 20 years working with students ranging from PreK through 5th grade as well as teaching college courses. Over the years, she has served as a teacher, instructional coach, curriculum district coordinator and assistant principal. She is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso where she received her bachelor's and a master’s degree. In 2018, she was selected as the National Assistant Principal of the Year for Texas by TEPSA (Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association) and in November 2021, El Paso Inc., a local magazine, named her as the top 5 school principals in the region.   Dr. Meléndez-Carrillo currently serves on the Executive Board of El Paso TALAS (Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents) as the President-Elect. In June 2022, she was invited to attend Harvard University as part of the Raise Your Hand Texas cohort to focus on School Turnaround Leadership. In December 2022, she graduated from West Texas A&M University with a doctorate in educational leadership focusing on teacher retention and leadership. She has been invited to participate in national webinars as a guest speaker such as NAESP (National Association of Elementary School Principals) and Principals of Success to share her educational journey and work in public education.   Under her leadership, Congressman Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary School has been awarded the Texas Education Agency Purple Star designation, being the first school in the Westside area of El Paso to earn this designation, due to their work commitment to meeting the unique needs of military-connected students and their families. Additionally, the school has earned the recognition of a Best Elementary School in 2024 by the U.S. News and World Report and the Honor Roll School designation by the Educational Results Partnership.   As an educator and transformational leader, Dr. Meléndez-Carrillo believes education is the opportunity equalizer and advocates for equitable education for all students providing a culture of excellence and giving a voice to the voiceless.