What an enlivening experience it has been to create a calendar which honors our nation’s youth, in particular, the youth who are an integral part of our nation’s farmworker families, recognizing their strengths, their determination to succeed, their wisdom, resilience and vitality in the face of life’s challenges.

This process has helped me gain a deeper appreciation for these qualities found not only in our youth but in all of us; the desire to set and strive for worthy goals, at the same time making the best of what we’ve been dealt; the wisdom to accept support from our families, teachers and friends; the willingness to make sacrifices for others when they are needed; the strength to face our challenges with confidence and self-respect; the resilience we need to pick ourselves up when we have fallen short; the commitment to be engaged in important issues that will contribute not only to our own lives but to the lives of those we will never meet; the vitality that comes through the magic of play!

Photographs offered in “Gracias por los Jóvenes” have been chosen to shine a light on these precious qualities which are alive and well in our youth as well as ourselves, reminding us of how much we all have in common. The truth of this commonality came to me while watching a group of college students and young farmworkers enjoying an informal game of volleyball together one late summer afternoon in North Carolina. I suddenly realized that I couldn’t tell the difference between student and worker. It was one of those magical moments, when everything was in balance, in harmony. Though the opportunities offered to each group may be vastly different, those differences disappeared in this shared moment of play!

To those who have contributed so much over the years to the evolution of this calendar project, please know how grateful I am for your support. And to those who choose to order “Gracias por los Jóvenes” thank you! May it be a delightful reminder of the gifts that our nation’s youth bring to each and every one of us, each and every day.
Wishing you a vibrant and peaceful new year,

Peace, Celia Roberts, photographer and publisher

Introduction

Youth, a term commonly used to define a time in one's life wedged between childhood and maturity, is a time marked by rapid growth and development; a coming of age. The theme of this year's calendar, "Gracias por los Jóvenes" honors the youth of migrant farm worker families. The images portrayed in the following photographs dignify the lives and work of migrant youth -work they produce both inside and outside of America's classrooms.

Most teens expect their adolescent years to be carefree and fun-filled, but migrant youth confront a different reality. Toiling alongside their parents and elders, they labor long hours under harsh conditions because the small amount of extra money they generate is needed to supplement the family income. Not yet adults, they join the agricultural workforce that nourishes our nation with a bountiful harvest of fruits, vegetables, milk, fish, eggs, meats, nuts, and grains sometimes taken for granted.
While most migrant youth move from place to place with their families, growing numbers of youth are forced to leave their loved ones behind, often in other states and countries, and migrate from job to job. For some, there simply are not enough hours in a day to attend to the demands of both school and work. When work becomes the highest priority, many youth have no other option but to drop out of school.

The federally-funded Migrant Education Program has identified out-of-school youth (OSY) under the age of 22 as one of the fastest growing, and least served subgroups within the program. Some youth emigrate from other countries and never attend school in the U.S.; they are identified as OSY who are here to work. Other OSY do attend school in the U.S., but they drop out without attaining a high school diploma or GED.

My experiences of working with migrant families for over 23 years in California, Oregon, and Colorado have shown that migrant youth share the same aspirations as most other youth. They too want to succeed in school and in life; however, their hopes and dreams are shattered when access to educational opportunities is not available or accessible.

As migrant youth move from school to school, they carry with them a deep respect for family, cultural pride, and hope for better opportunities than those afforded to their ancestors. Guided by a strong work ethic and values rooted in education, migrant youth work hard and make great sacrifices to complete their education. Many are the first in their family to finish high school, and some have even bigger dreams of graduating from college and having career options.

All youth need to feel welcomed and valued as productive members of society. This year's calendar offers a powerful reminder of the importance of recognizing and giving thanks for our nation's youth. Their perspectives, contributions, and hard work enrich our schools and communities. Their resiliency, spirit, and ethos motivate and inspire me to continue to work towards creating conditions that can advance educational equity and social justice so that all youth have the opportunities and support they need to succeed in school and life.

— Mary Ellen Good, Ed. D., Director of Federal Programs, Centennial BOCES Migrant Education Program, Greeley, Colorado