Understanding of

cultural differences

is program's goal

Trip to Texas

starts Saturday

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- One of the biggest downtown projects in recent history was under way Monday afternoon as a dozen Sleepy Eye High School students unpacked and set up foosball games, tables and chairs in the former Palace Clothing building.

The Palace, owned by Dave Vosbeck of Sleepy Eye, stopped selling shoes and clothing several years ago.

The activity was all part of the creation of the Sleepy Eye Cultural Center, a project which received $60,000 in federal integration funding. The school district was awarded $90,000 in integration funding earlier this school year.

Originally, $30,000 was earmarked for staff development. Sleepy Eye High School Principal Elia Bruggeman, also the integration funding coordinator, hopes to use some of the staff money for community development. The funds must be spent by June 30.

On Monday, Bruggeman supervised the students, who seemed to be enjoying themselves as rock music played on a portable stereo.

"We're going to fill up the first floor," Bruggeman said as students put tables together. "We have about half of our supplies in already."

The first floor of the cultural center will have features for all ages from preschoolers to adults. A VCR with instructional tapes, several types of tables and chairs, a wide-screen television and computers are planned for the center.

Puppet shows in Spanish and integrating other cultural music and dance are also in the works.

"We're training teen-agers about diversity," Bruggeman said. "It's wonderful when teens can do good things together like teaching younger kids about folklore dancing."

Bruggeman hopes to have the cultural center open sometime this summer. Handicap-accessible lavatories must be completed before the building would be usable.

"We're very thankful to Dave (Vosbeck) for letting us use the building rent-free until June 30 and for his help in getting it ready," Bruggeman said.

After July 1, the rent is $400 per month plus utilities.

Under Minnesota's new Desegregation Rule, schools and communities are required to work together to design effective, voluntary strategies for desegregated learning environments that parents choose for their children. They can then access financial incentives from the State of Minnesota to implement options.

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

Several weeks ago, integration money was used to fund three bus loads of students and parental chaperones to attend the Minnesota Timberwolves-Dallas Mavericks professional basketball game in Minneapolis. Many of the bus riders had never attended an NBA game before.

Bruggeman and other Sleepy Eye residents are creating a Sleepy Eye folk dance group. They will perform at the Mountain Lake Integration Festival on May 1, at Maple River High School on May 20.

Sleepy Eye International Day set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, June 8, will include a wide range of international cultural and ethnic arts, foods and crafts. Interested participants are asked to return a participation form by May 10. Call 1-800-290-0588 for more information.

Staff integration funding will be used to pay for a trip to schools in the Texas-Mexico border towns of Brownsville, San Juan, Pfarr, San Juan, Mission, Donna and Weslaco, Texas.

The trip's purpose is to create a more positive and productive education in Texas and Minnesota.

Before participants were selected, they answered several questions about their motives for going. They were quizzed on ideas to promote integration in Sleepy Eye and asked what possible questions they would ask the Texans.

School staff participants are Elia Bruggeman, Alma Saenz, Josh Carlson, Lance Renberg, Arla Dockter, Nadia Crooker, Crystal Neid, Paulette Grausam, Lynette Schacherer, Tamara Anderson, Heather Krause and Kelly Johnson as well as citizen Judy Beech.

The visitors will meet with school officials in Texas and answer their questions and concerns about Minnesota. Potential questions include: Why do people from that area of Texas chose Sleepy Eye? What parental activities currently exist? How do you communicate with parents not literate in Spanish or English? Are behaviors consistent in both communities? What cultural habits of the Hispanic community impact education? How can Sleepy Eye improve education for students that migrate between Texas and Minnesota?