The NWESD Migrant Education Program (MEP) is funded by the Washington State OSPI MEP Office and is contracted to deliver quality services to school districts with and without their own Migrant Education grants throughout western Washington. This team has the unique task of carrying out their work beyond the boundaries of the NWESD. 

I had the chance to sit down and connect with them and learned that there has been a new initiative underway this year. The NWESD MEP Team closely examined the specific needs to support Migrant Out-of-School Youth (OSY) and the opportunities available to them. In this effort, the team expanded its outreach to OSY through a Special Project Proposal to OSPI. This project provided the opportunity to onboard a new NWESD Re-Engagement Coordinator, Oscar Sanchez, who is based in the ESD 112 and ESD 113 regions. Oscar’s sole focus is on OSY case management, building awareness with districts that aren’t currently participating in the Migrant program, and building partnerships and networks with southwest Washington partners. He is able to provide face-to-face services for migrant youth and make community connections to help support them with the resources they need to access the K-12 education system and post-secondary education/opportunities.  

Now that this effort has been in motion for nearly 9 months, there are countless stories of migrant youth who have had the opportunity to look at options and resources for re-engaging in school. I am humbled by Oscar’s work and the heart that he brings to mentoring each of the students with whom he works. I see this project encompass so many of the NWESD values; its responsiveness to the services needed by out-of-school youth and the flexible teamwork that is necessary to collaborate regionally. 

Although you may not see Oscar Sanchez in the northwest corner of the state, be assured that the Out-of-School Youth in our northwest region are supported beautifully by migrant staff in their school districts and by Tanya Rojas, the Migrant Out-of-School Youth and Health Coordinator working out of our NWESD office.  Tanya and Oscar are doing a great deal to give hope to students throughout western Washington and open options for them to better prepare to engage with college and career opportunities.