Graduate School of Education

GSOE Hosts 10th Annual Educating the Bilingual Student Conference

Dr. Yolanda Venegas and the Graduate School of Education hosted the 10th annual EBS conference at University Extension. The conference was co-sponsored by UC Riverside Chicano Student programs, Tomas Rivera Teachers’ Association, Riverside County Office of Education, Riverside Unified School District, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, San Bernardino City Unified School District, Corona-Norco Unified School District, and Alvord Unified School District.

The Educating the Bilingual Student Conference was held on Thursday, May 29, 2008 and had approximately 145 guests in attendance. Guests had the opportunity to attend up to three workshop sessions; workshops focused on topics that aided teachers in assisting English language learners and ranged from reading strategies, oral language development, classroom instruction, math comprehension and dual language instruction.

The keynote speakers for this year’s conference were Juan Felipe Herrera and Father Gregory Boyle. Professor Juan Felipe Herrera is a UCR Tomas Rivera Endowed Professor. Professor Herrera has published 21 books and is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including four California Arts Council grants and the Stanford Chicano Fellow Fellowship. Father Gregory Boyle is the Founder and Executive Director of Jobs For A Future and Homeboy Industries. Jobs For A Future is a unique organization that assists at-risk and gang-involved youth in re-directing their lives. With a guiding principle of “Nothing stops a bullet like a job,” Jobs For A Future provides employment opportunities, counseling, tattoo removal and other services to aid at-risk youth in investing in a good future.