WTOC-TV (Savannah, Georgia)

June 22, 2009

Low Country program helps migrant families

By Jaime Dailey

ST. HELENA ISLAND, SC - The crops are ripening in the fields and migrant workers are harvesting in plenty of places like St. Helena Island.

And while they work, their children are getting the best of care.

School may be out for the summer but migrant children are now filling the classrooms at St. Helena Early Learning Center for the Migrant Education Program.

It's a program that's been going on in Beaufort County for more than 40 years, providing migrant families with daycare and schooling for their children while they're out in the fields.

"Buses are out and rolling at 7am, they pull up to the school at 8am and they're here until 5pm," said program coordinator Gayle Mencer.

Zenaida Garcia follows the crop here each year with her husband and for the last few years has spent her time in the nursery giving babies the love and attention they need.

"I love taking care of the babies and I know how hard it is for them to be out in the camp with the heat so I love to come and take care of them and help out," said Garcia.

While these children are only in the area for four to six weeks, she says she treasures the time she spends with each one.

"You see them grow up with these few weeks and you get to learn so much for them," said Garcia.

Although there are always a lot of new faces each year, many of the children like 14-year-old Maria Morice come back year after year and enjoy seeing all of the familiar faces.

"Every year we come here and get to see our friends and it's just really fun," said Morice.

Morice has been coming to the camp for as long as she can remember and says what she learns these few weeks in Beaufort County makes a big difference when she goes to school in Florida.

"It helps a lot because we get to practice things we might have forgotten," said Morice.

"I think it's really fun and interesting and we learn a lot of things here, it helps us go into the next grade," said Monica Lara. 

While their stay isn't long, the bonds they form last a lifetime.

After leaving Beaufort County next month, many will be heading to Virginia.