HEP/Camp Scholarship
The next due date for the HEP/CAMP Scholarship for high schoolers is March 15th to May 15th. The High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) serves students whose families work as seasonal farm workers.
To be eligible:
Must have earned an HSE (high school equivalency) through a HEP program within TWO years of the application date.
Provide proof of enrollment in an institution of higher education (IHE) or other post-secondary education or training program.
Provide a Student Recommendation and Approval Form signed by a program director.
The Recognition and Scholarship Opportunities for Migratory Students page on the Texas Migrant Education Program portal provides information. Visit today to learn more.
Albert Lee Wright, Jr. Scholarship
There’s still time to apply for the Albert Lee Wright, Jr. Memorial Migrant Scholarship. Applications must be received on or before Wednesday, March 15th.
To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be migratory students who are high school seniors with a financial need and will be starting their first year of college or other post-secondary education.
Students who are awarded this scholarship will be recognized at the 2023 National Migrant Education Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information, visit the Recognition and Scholarship Opportunities for Migratory Students page on the Texas Migrant Education Program portal.
Texas School Mental Health
The Texas School Mental Health website was created to help students, families, and educators by offering resources to help with mental wellness. Some of the ways this website can help include:
Find resources to manage stress and help overall mental health for students.
Guide parents on where to find helpful information or training for themselves.
Recognize mental health challenges and ways to find services to treat those concerns.
The Resources Overview page on the Texas School Mental Health website offers more information. Visit for more information.
STAAR Tips
The end-of-school year testing season in Texas begins in April. Students in grades 3 - 8 take the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR), while high school students take the End-of-Course assessments at the end of the semester.
House Bill 3261 requires state tests to be taken online. This means students and families will be able to get faster results and schools can pick when they give tests since it is much easier for students to take the tests online than with paper and pencil. Students typically prefer to take the tests online and studies by the Texas Education Agency show that students test as well online as they do on paper. Taking the STAAR online also gives some students the chance to use accommodations like text-to-speech and content and language supports.
Some tips to help your student prepare for the test:
Attend school every day.
Review sample STAAR content.
Practice at home with the provided online practice test
Stay in contact with your child’s teacher about their progress and when testing dates are.
Get a good night’s sleep the night before the test.
Eat a healthy breakfast on the day of the test.
For more information, visit the How to Help My Child Prepare page on the Texas Assessments website.
Fentanyl Awareness
Fentanyl is a man-made, Schedule II narcotic that has reached a growing number of communities of all sizes across Texas and has impacted so many lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), within the last two years, teen overdose deaths related to Fentanyl have tripled. Over half of all overdose deaths are related to Fentanyl use. Death from Fentanyl overdose happens when the respiratory system slows, or not enough oxygen gets to the brain.
Fentanyl is a manufactured opiate drug that is generally used in the medical field to treat severe pain. It is often used in emergency situations and given by paramedics and in emergency rooms. Sadly, an underground market has developed for this drug, and it is often marketed to youth. Fentanyl can come in many forms and even the smallest amount can be lethal. It is often mixed with other drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Prescription medications can also be laced with it. There have been some cases where the Fentanyl pills were made to look like candy. Oftentimes, the teen has no idea that what they are taking has Fentanyl in it.
What can you do as a parent to prevent your teen from falling prey to this deadly trend?
Talk to your teen. Talk about the dangers that they may face at parties and social events. Let them know that they can talk to you about things that are concerning them.
Monitor their social media and app usage. This is a common way that teens get access to this drug.
Encourage your teen to get involved with extracurricular activities, church, service projects, community, and school organizations. Keeping your teen involved can help battle loneliness, isolation, and hopelessness.
Know how to access the district’s anonymous reporting tool. It can be found on the district’s website. Report any suspicion that Fentanyl use may be occurring in the schools or that someone may be abusing it. Encourage your child to do the same. You could save a life.
Monitor your child’s behavior. Has their behavior changed lately? Do they have a new set of “friends”? Are they keeping to themselves more often than usual?
Seek help if your child is facing a mental health challenge or if you suspect they are using any substance.
Ed Resources
Reading with your child is a proven way to help early literacy, which can lead to academic success later in life. A great way to practice reading is through Education Resources on the Texas Migrant Education Portal.
The resource is a collection of mini-lessons for students in grades K-12 in the areas of reading and writing. The mini-lessons are in both English and Spanish, with each one lasting about 15 - 20 minutes. The lessons are engaging activities and are created with easy step-by-step directions for parents to follow.
For high school students, the resource becomes a self-paced online platform that guides students through the reading and writing lessons. Reach out to your child’s district migrant staff to request printed copies of this resource, or print them off the website on your own.
Migrant Education Program Support for Parents and Families
The AIIMS Parents and Families portal shares resources and information to support parents and families of children who qualify for the Texas MEP.
Whether you are preparing your child for kindergarten or graduation, this portal provides useful information to help you through the process. You can access this free site by visiting txmigrant.net and clicking the Migrant Education Program Support for Parents and Families title located on the left side of the screen.
Keep in Touch with your MEP Recruiter
As migratory parents and families, you should let your MEP recruiter know of any migratory move you or your family have made recently. This will help ensure your children remain eligible for services and support for as long as possible.
In addition, if your family is considering making a migratory move during the school year, please reach out to your MEP recruiter. Your district MEP staff will send a move notification to the district you are moving to, which will assist with the enrollment process for your children and ensure they continue to receive MEP services at their new location.
Go Outdoors!
Spring in Texas is an exciting time to explore the outdoors. Texas offers 89 state parks that feature over 600,000 acres of land and water to hike, swim, fish, and camp.
Texas State Parks were established 100 years ago, and what better way to celebrate the anniversary by spending time in nature. Most areas of the state are near a state park, and most admit children 12 and under for free.
Texas Parks are regarded as some of the most diverse and beautiful in the country. From sandy beaches at Mustang Island in Corpus Christi, to rugged red rocks in the country’s second largest canyon at Palo Duro Canyon in Canyon, there is much to offer from the parks of Texas.
To find out more about Texas State Parks, or to make a reservation, visit the State Parks page of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.
