Project Cornerstone developed the Los Dichos program to help Spanish-speaking parents better support and become more involved in their children’s education and instill a sense of positive cultural identity in their children. Los Dichos volunteers are trained in Spanish by a bilingual/bicultural Project Cornerstone staff member in the principles of positive youth development, including the importance of parent involvement in education. Each month, Los Dichos volunteers read specially selected bilingual books in the classroom and lead activities and discussions about topics including tolerance, family pride, peaceful conflict resolution, and other important values.

The impact of Los Dichos is threefold:

  • Parent volunteers become empowered to better support their children’s academic success and to form more positive connections with all youth in the community.
  • By leading a lesson in Spanish, the volunteers demonstrate that their language and heritage are valued in the classroom, helping build positive cultural identity for their children and their Latino classmates.
  • All students in the class learn the same positive lesson and develop greater appreciation and respect for the culture of their Latino classmates, promoting greater cultural competence and tolerance throughout the school community.

The following documents provide an overview of the Los Dichos program.