SE integration funding hits road

Funds would

support downtown cultural center

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- Ninety thousand dollars of federal integration funds have hit the road running in this community with a growing Hispanic population.

Thursday, three bus loads of Sleepy Eye Public School students and adult chaperones rode three school buses to the Minnesota Timber Wolves-Dallas Mavericks NBA basketball game.

The promotional event, sponsored in part by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, included a clinic on the Target Center floor with Dominican Republic native and Timber Wolf player Felipe Lopez.

Lopez told students about the importance of his family.

"People ask me who my role models are?" Lopez said. "They were my mom and dad. I love them both very much."

Lopez was the first basketball player from his country to play in the NBA.

As Hispanic, black and white grade school children passed basketballs to each other during the clinic on the Target Center floor, Mark Bruggeman of Sleepy Eye talked about the event.

"Isn't it great seeing all these kids of different races having fun and learning together?" Bruggeman said. "We thought about what the funds should be used for and decided this sporting event would be a good way to start."

Students got armloads of Timberwolves t-shirts and related team paraphernalia as they walked to the clinic.

After the game, the Sleepy Eye visitors were treated to a post-game concert featuring one of the hottest Latin bands in the country -- "Orquestra Sabor Tropical." The band included two trumpets and trombones, a bass guitar, drums and two lead singers.

The funding is part of Minnesota's new Desegregation Rule that requires schools and communities to work together to design effective, voluntary strategies for desegregated learning environments that parents can choose for their children.

Focusing on community-based solutions is appropriate to address instances in which racially-isolated learning environments have occurred even though schools themselves have not engaged in discriminatory conduct.

Plans offer parents the chance to choose learning opportunities for their children in neighboring communities, teacher exchanges, joint community education programming and other options to increase interracial opportunities.

Sleepy Eye is leading the way in the program, acting as a mentor for public school districts in St. James, Springfield, New Ulm and Cedar Mountain.

Under current law, school districts with approved desegregation plans will receive $93 per student or the cost of the plan, whichever is less.

The new Desegregation Rule applies to most K-12 public schools but does not cover private schools. Public schools not covered by voluntary planning requirements of the Desegregation Rule include charter schools, area learning centers, public alternative programs and contracted alternative programs.

Sleepy Eye School District Desegregation Coordinator Elia Bruggeman recently told the Sleepy Eye Economic Development Authority about local plans to use the integration funds for a cultural center.

Among the sites considered is the former Palace Shoe & Clothing building in downtown Sleepy Eye.

Building owner Dave Vosbeck is interested in letting the school district operate use his now-vacant store building rent-free until June 30. After that, he said he would rent the building for less money than the store brought in while it was open for business, between 1985 until several years ago. The district would pay only for utilities.

Bruggeman said the committee is willing to spend $25,000 to prepare the building and pay for two adult supervisors to work in the center.

Last week, Vosbeck got a laundry list of things to do to the building before it could be used as a cultural center.

"It's not a done deal," Vosbeck said. "I want the program to go. We may need financial help from other sources like the EDA."

Vosbeck's list includes linked together, battery and 110-volt smoke detectors, replacing all doors, installing safety glass in the front doors, a box at the side door to be used by handicapped people in case of a fire and handicapped lavatories, among other things.

The cultural center would be open 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. weekdays for pre-schoolers through senior citizens. Volunteers are being sought for daytime hours, Bruggeman said.

"We can't wait for it to open," Bruggeman said. "We've very thankful to be able to work with Dave (Vosbeck) on this."

She plans to create entertainment and cultural learning experiences with music from different cultures, a dozen computers, international coffees, pop and popcorn machines, foosball tables and other games. Smoking would not be allowed. Students will also perform ethnic dancing.

Bruggeman hopes to open the cultural center within a month or two. Current integration funding will be provided through 2003.

The Sleepy Eye Public School Student Advisory Committee includes Student Council President Ryann Rathman, Senior Class President Katie Petersen, seniors Eric Roberts and Mike Beavens; juniors Nick Windschitl, Tyler Defiel, Erica Bruggeman and Becky Koll; sophomores Anahi Linan and Lauren Hoffmann; freshmen Emily Tyler and Levi Zinniel; 8th graders Lupe Trevino and Nicole Jarvis; and 7th graders Ruby Lopez and Tony Kolbe.