Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/969549
I G H W AY 19 8 in central California is more country road than highway. It meanders through fields and farmland that sepa- rate the tiny towns of Huron, Coalinga and Avenal. "You drive through fields, and there's a cow town. en more fields and another cow town. And more fields and another cow town," says West Kings County Teachers Association President Amy Wilkinson, describing the route to Avenal, furthest from Fresno. What strikes a visitor first is the isolation of each community ; second is the poverty. The combination creates enormous challenges for these rural school communities, where most employment means work in the fields or correctional facilities. Huron is one of the poor- est areas in the state. e small towns along Highway 198 are more than an hour away from the nearest city, Fresno, yet they share many of the problems facing urban areas: generational poverty, gangs, drugs, a high dropout rate. But they also are tight-knit communities where people help neighbors and celebrate milestones together. "Teachers get invited to birthday parties, baptisms and graduations all the time," shares Christina Monreal, a kindergarten teacher at Huron Elementary. "It's like family." Teachers in rural areas play a crucial role in educating students about the wider world. "We want to be a bridge from school to family and instill our students with pride," says Monreal. "Doctors, lawyers, engineers and professional athletes are all products of this rural community — including my hus- band, who worked the fields and now is a civil engineer who consults with farmers he once worked for. Tough challenges can push students to become successful in life." W hi l e r ural stud ents and educators must d eal w ith dif f icult Remote, often struggling rural schools are hardy survivors Grit True By Sherry Posnick-Goodwin Photos by Scott Buschman 24 cta.org Feature Christina Monreal at Huron Elementary School.