Welcome everybody to Midday magazine for this Thursday February 13th 2025.
Have your host James here and we're drawing right now by our good friend Olga Menza
bilingual 4-H associate educator with UW Madison Extension Wood County.
Olga good to have you with us. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning everyone.
I really do appreciate you being here Olga and certainly appreciate the work that you and
Laura and all of our friends at 4-H do. We've talked with Laura a lot about 4-H and the impact
it has not only on our futures but our kids and and really our communities and and so many levels
and what we're going to do right now a little bit is is get you know you a little bit better
and talk about some of the events you've been doing recently and kind of get into some of that
and the work that's been going on. So Olga let's begin with you and talk a little bit about you
and what you bring to the table here. Yeah definitely so I just completed the eight sessions at
the school to us to thrive and it went really well it was my first time so can you tell us what
those are with those this for for the audience it doesn't. Definitely so it's just bringing resources
to the students right now working with the high schoolers in Marshville and I mainly work with
the Hispanic Latino students a lot of them are struggling with language barrier a lot of them
just migrated here so they're also adjusting to the culture and the school system and so we go
there for one hour a week and then we bring those tools to thrive which is like resources to
like just help them better adapt to the school system and also like if they're already like
been here for like a year and a half like you know how do we get them to graduate on time and also
if they have like you know hopes or dreams of going to college and how I can you know lead on to
that pathway as well. So I bring all kind of resources so every session is different so when I walk
into the class the first time like I get to know the students and you know ask them like you know
what they want to learn about and also like I did a goals a smart goals with them so that way I can
kind of see like okay what are their goals like what do they want me to bring you know to the school
so I can teach them and a lot of them focus a lot on like in you know how to graduate because
the system here is so different than their country and I'm working with like multiple different
Hispanic Latinos students who are from different countries so I'm also learning like you know
their systems and you know actually a lot of them like by the age of 16 17 they graduate already
so here's a little difference it's a little longer and so I have to like you know explain to them
the credits you know how they work and the classes that they have to take also I had one student
who just turned 18 and so he really was like in the point of just dropping out already because
work was important for him and his family so I talked to him and the teachers and I said to him like
you know you only have like two and a half more credits to graduate like why not finish so this
poor student didn't even know he only needed two and a half credits you know he had no idea so
once I you know communicated that with him and told him like let me help you you know finish or
get you caught up where you need to be and so I had to like intervene a little bit and so now
the student is still there and I'm hoping that he would graduate this made with the rest.
Oh man is that a good story? Yeah that's awesome to hear. I know so that's like one of the things
to that that we do motivate students to finish and it's also a great example of the importance of
this and not only having this in our society and having more of these things in our society but
the importance of 4-H and the work that you guys are doing over there that just even taking this
one story that individual goes on to school graduate goes on either to college or to the workforce
and they become a taxpayer and they put into their economy I mean this is first off this is the
story of America this is our country this is what we're built on we're built on these stories we're
built on these types of individuals first and foremost and it's just the right thing to do but if
you need them if I need to reach you at your wallet then the economic impact it makes and the
taxpayer impact it makes those are all important and even on another level and I'll admit to
the audience I'm a little biased on this one this is an important topic to me one because of the
where our country has been going not recently for decades for decades and decades the most
popular language in America is Spanish and yet so many of our individuals in this country either
don't understand Spanish or or not there isn't a translation for them if they need it
and that's key to this and and I think there is such a relatable level to this I've talked about
it a little bit before but where I'm from I'm from Chicago I'm from melting pot I grew up a lot
too right on I grew up around a lot of languages and most of my friends growing up were Spanish
of one different descent Puerto Rican Cuban a lot of these things and each one of them speak a
very different type of Spanish yeah different dialect for sure and I came from mixed family where
you had you had Hebrew and Italian thrown around all over the place in Spanish here and there I
mean we had all types of different languages when I moved up to Central Wisconsin where they they
really only had one essential language and one style of language I actually in sixth grade they
they put me a fifth grade actually no sixth grade they put me into a speech class okay because
they didn't think that I was understanding the language well enough I'm four hours away yeah but
they were doing the best they can that's not on them they were doing the best they could with
the situation trying to help me because I was like a city Chicago accent yeah and my understanding
stuff wasn't there and we're talking I was in this I'm born raising this country I've never left
this country yeah and even I had struggles with the language yeah imagine some of these other
individuals and regard and I don't see why this is a device of topic but if it is to you out there
we're talking about kids yeah we're talking about teens and kids and everything and I don't
think there's anything divisive about that but those are kids that deserve an opportunity to deserve
to be everything that we have you know and we couldn't or we didn't have yeah because they're
definitely our future you know their next generation yep I look this up I double check it turns
out the kids are the future okay yes I mean yeah this is the least we can do is doing some of
these things and and some other events that you've been a part of too one of they touch on some
of those the the tools that thrive are great though I do appreciate you kind of giving us the
background on that you also hosted something else in November recently yeah so that was like my
first event I did a family night for the family letting Latinos in Marshville because I wanted to
connect with the parents and I wanted to reach out and let them know who I am and what I do with
their students and right before I had the event the students and I did like a celebration for
Dia de los Muertos so they do like an alter which is called a Brenda and so we you know we've
studied about that a lot of them were very familiar but some there are not from like Mexico it's
not a third tradition so they learned about it and they really loved it enjoyed it and so I wanted
the parents to come to the schools and also see like what they've been working on and you know
what they've done and so at first it was a little bit of difficulty you know reaching out to
the parents you know they don't really have like access to the sky war or email so I had to like
think outside the box then you know so I had to create a plier and I did it in both English and
Spanish and so I asked the teacher the ESL teacher to help me distribute these to the students
so I can get to like the parents nice and I also talked to my students in the class and I told
like hey I'm working really hard in this event and I really want your parents to participate and
also you guys because I'm gonna talk a lot about like the school system how it works like skyward
and how to access that and also like if you have any questions like you can reach out to me even if
there's a language barrier like you can come to me and then I can also be like you know the middle
person so um so we at first didn't think we're gonna get like a lot of turnout um even the ESL
teacher and the EL teacher said like oh we've tried this in the past and probably no more than like
10 people show up and you know you're spending a lot of time and I had to order food and create
games and revel um giveaways and stuff like that and so I didn't notify the students like it's
gonna be really fun we're gonna play games we're gonna win prizes and there's gonna be good cards
and um I really appreciate if you know if you guys would be able to attend and be there with
your families and literally like about 70 to 80 people show up whoa yeah yeah so it was very
impressive that's not how I thought the story was gonna add that's so great yeah me too I was like
a little bit like whoa okay this is great and thankfully I had prepared for like you know food
and games and everything yeah so and I didn't bite the administrative so we had like an assistant
principal there as well attend and so most of the talk that we did was in Spanish um but I did let
the administrative know that this you know he kind of knew like the PowerPoint that we were going
over it was all about school affiliated and I just wanted some type of administrative to be there
so they can know that the parents you know are also important and even if there's a language
you know they're there and that's who they can come to and so we'll we'll figure out how to
get the communication you know to follow after but um he was very impressed as well and he told me
that uh for the future that he would like to have more administrative attend so like more of the
like the sector even the school and more like the principal and stuff so this is really great that
that he was able to be there and to see you know the the impact that the parents do have um
I think there's like a lot of stereotypical that you know his pediatino parents really don't
you know care about the school or um are not around or not involving their you know students
education but it's not that they don't care is that they don't get informed the right way and so
they don't know I don't uh we don't you know um we we don't subscribe to stereotypes around here
or anything like that not only as a society but certainly here at this radio station as long
as I'm in this chair yeah that being said I have never met a Latino family of any any any any
any of the great origins there or anything that doesn't isn't in tune with their family yeah and
doesn't care about their family I I feel very confident saying that um to ogas point it's usually
it's more of so just not understanding just not having a community of an ability to understand
certainly the want and the passion is there yeah just got to be able to meet people halfway
yeah just got to build those bridges and that's where these events are so key um I'm really happy
for the turnout you had but to his point and everything we'd like to see even better turnucks we
we know from our communities and you know better than I do oga how much this is needed yeah most
definitely do you do you I'm sorry I mean to cut your off there but uh do you see more of these
types of events in the future oh yeah most definitely um we're gonna be plenty more of these and I
have um then a couple more after this one not as big um these were more like a smaller um
events that I had gathered together because I had received interest from some parents that wanted
to connect and wanted to learn more like on a one-on-one basis so then I reached out to those
parents and I did have like another um a small celebration event for the other los rosca like
three kingsday yeah so and I felt like you know that was a good way to get them back
connected and that I also appreciate and you know I also want to celebrate their traditions
their um their culture and appreciate that so I did another one on the first week of
January nice and so yeah that one was a little smaller it was maybe like 20 people um that showed
up but it was perfect because then I got to speak to the parents one-on-one get to know them
and their children and also it was not just like my students parents because I met parents that
were like from elementary school children in middle school so that was really nice to connect
with them as well because I'll be working with their kids in the future yeah yeah and also because
they were interested in the four each clubs and programs that I was talking about in the prior
one so that's why they wanted to well these domino effects that can happen with all of this uh
where um certainly I think that there is a pulled to community and an attraction to community we
we've seen uh you know uh over the last 10-15 years arise in a lot of the popularity of day of the
dad and the sugar skulls and some of that stuff um I think that three kingsday has become more and
more common known to people so if these events kind of bring people in that's fantastic um and then
while they're there finding out about four-h and maybe being coming apart of four-h um and certainly
that domino effect and in the domino two that we're trying to do right here with these events and
I appreciate so much from this because not only do I think we're informing people in some ways
about what these events are and what three kingsday is or some of that um but I I think we're
also showing people the the path of empathy here uh because again we're we're uh most kids nowadays
in fact in in any generation mine yours any generation had a lot put on their plate uh and this
has been the case you know going way way way back yeah um then there are different households in
different situations where kids have more put on their plate and I don't know that a lot of if
a lot of people can understand but I think some of our older generations might understand when they
had German or Polish immigrants uh as part of their family and as America was growing and becoming
more and more English based and they didn't have ways of dissecting this or understanding what
this was or even the reverse of that where some areas here in Wisconsin were very Polish centric
to the point where the language was used as that and even in the newspapers and some of that yeah
so this has been an issue in our country for a long time and it's something that we're addressing
every day and and these events really help us do that and also hopefully create an empathy of
that of understanding of look at what's on these kids plates yeah and and what we're asking that
from them and their parents and the under like it more times and not it is the parents explaining
something to kids here kids are explaining stuff to their parents so that they can understand and
have a build those bridges um this all do what you're sharing with us really gives us an idea of that
yeah most definitely and also what I noticed like in these events there's parents meeting each other
as well and they have other friends that they can communicate in their own language yeah yeah and even
to students like um so I teach like ninth grade I mean yeah nine till 12 all in one class or they're
all mixed like ages and grades so it's a little difficult and they don't really know each other but
I um give them the opportunity to you know mingle and communicate and so they can learn from one
another as well and um one big topic that they talked a lot about was like how did they get a
driver's license yeah you know to get around and go places because most of like you know their
mom's don't drive right and that's like super um something that it's always been like I don't
know I don't know if it's just um in art tradition like the woman really don't drive like my mom
doesn't drive yeah yeah and so Italian households are very similar oh yeah my Nana was the same way
yeah it's one of those things that you know just old traditions yeah and kind of you know there's
not to say that there is an evolution or growth there just takes time and younger generations and
that but um that's certainly a common thing and a great example of how important this is to be
able to build that bridge um and uh I teach adults and I have a difficult time I can't imagine
doing what that that class you do you're impressive that is impressive we're speaking with Olga Mesa
badlingal 4-H associate with UW Extension uh also one of the touch on that not only with um
the third event that you hosted I wanted to get to that Olga and tell people about that one
yeah definitely so um a fast what you're a fast what you're uh fast what you're doing
oh yes yes the most recent one I did um I facilitated a fast far workshop um so this was
streaming like virtual and I had a lot of parents that were interested however they didn't have
access to connecting to like the zoom or you know how to even you know get to the training and it
was the only training that's offered in Spanish like through the entire six months that they're doing
workshops so I took advantage and I said okay you know what I can facilitate it so we went to
a church and we used their gym and so I used a television there and we connected with a fast
fast advisor and so she was bilingual so it was really great that uh parents and students were
able to you know ask questions and especially the really um uh daunting questions about like
immigration you know can they still apply if they're immigrant and if they're in the process of
becoming citizens and you know was there a social security needed and all these questions were
really vital to them and so they were able to get a lot of answers and so we are still going to
on another second fastball connection because um it's it's a little difficult when you have like
a different students and parents there and actually working with a fast advisor you need more
like laptops and you know tablet something so they can actually fill out the fastball form because
now paper form it's not a thing yeah I'm right yeah oh I didn't even think of that yeah so then
I was having a hard time when I um hosted this last event I'm like I need to print out
you know the fastball applications English and Spanish and I could not find them anywhere
and so when I connected with the fastball advisor they said because they want you to do it online
and that's the way that it gets processed fastest and there is a way that you can get it by paper
but you have to send an email to someone in the fast one which if you're in that situation could
be all the more difficult yeah and so I told them I'm like okay we will need to have like another
like a second follow-up session so we can still like provide laptops and or tablets to the students
while we have that session going so they can go in there and then fill it out and it's a process
actually it's a plastic process but um that was a great one dad that um we just completed and um
I was happy to be able to to help them you know learn about fastball and not to be scared because
a lot of them think that because of their immigration status they cannot apply but there's
different circumstances for everyone so some can still get approved and now what uh what a uh
a gift to have that resource there for them um and everything and really noteworthy too how
I appreciate you explaining how even you who this is your wheelhouses and stuff you know and even
you had to do some digging and hunting down for this one imagine being uh for that I want our
audience to imagine for these individuals with their situation and everything without even
under the understanding or connections that you have and stuff it's um and I hope the audience
also noticed what I did in our this conversation too we're talking about some great programs and
some great uh organ uh things that are coming up and you can look forward to and uh certainly want
you to spread the word about this to individuals you know it really could be helped by organ the
forage here but the above and beyond work you have done with this topic with this in these events
and everything there is your job and then there's going above and beyond and you really have with
this um just thank you for that thank I appreciate that um I say that as somebody who cares about
these kids cares about our future cares about our economy cares about all the things we've touched
on in this conversation um that's that's big work you're doing there and appreciate that and
you and Laura and everybody over four h and the way you're impacting our kids in our communities
and doing such good work that um so much of this work is like planning a tree we're not going to
know for years the impact this is truly made but we're going to feel it we're going to know and it's
we're going to be thanking you years and years and a future you is going to be getting a lot of
thank you cards a lot of thank you a lot of good things and good positive thoughts uh
I'll go appreciate everything we've been able to touch on today um if people do have follow
questions they would like to know more about some of the things that we've talked about or I mean
upcoming events how can they reach you yeah so uh my contact information my email is Olga
olga.gov.mesa.mez.at.wisc.edu or my phone number as well 715-315-9942
and keep in mind you can also find out more information by going to 4h.extension.wisk.edu
that's 4h.extension.wisk.edu be sure to follow you to the extension on social media as well
it's a great way to share different events on your pages people might not see it otherwise
that would see it thanks to you sharing it on your pages uh please say hi to all of our friends
at extension and thank you so much for the time Olga. Thank you. We will take a time out we'll be
back more midday magazine right here this week at 97-5 FM 13-20 AM WFHR where we are locally grown
radio.
