MONTEBELLO – State Sen. Ricardo Lara visited Bell Gardens Elementary School May 20 to talk to Leslie Hiatt’s fifth-grade class about state history, politics, and to remind them to remain dedicated to their dreams. Hiatt’s students also presented Sen. Lara with an award for supporting their classmates in passing AB146.

Hiatt’s fifth-graders in 2014-15 successfully teamed up with Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia and Sen. Lara to pass Assembly Bill 146, which requires state textbooks to include information about the deportation of Mexican-Americans during the Great Depression.

Current students invited Sen. Lara to accept the award bestowed by the Bell Gardens Elementary community and the District at a celebration held in December. They also discussed initiatives of his they are studying in class.

“Leslie Hiatt teaches her classes about the importance of knowing the little known history of California, which tells the family story of many of our students,” said Montebello Unified Board President Benjamin Cárdenas. “We value our collective history at Montebello Unified and are committed to supporting multicultural and multilingual programs in our classrooms.”

Multilingualism gives California an educational and economic edge, Sen. Lara told students during his visit. Employers across all sectors cite the need for those who can read, write and speak in more than one language, Lara said.

“With so many bilingual students, teachers, parents and community members within our District, we want to ensure that this skill is not only honored, but enhanced,” MUSD Superintendent Susanna Contreras Smith said. “Knowing another language, or many, is a gift that will help our students be better prepared for the society of tomorrow.”

Sen. Lara’s has authored the California Education for Global Economy initiative, which promotes multilingualism in California schools.

Photo Captions:

MUSDSENLARA1: State Sen. Ricardo Lara visited Bell Gardens Elementary School May 20 to talk to Leslie Hiatt’s fifth-grade class about state history, politics and to remind them to remain dedicated to their dreams. Hiatt’s students also presented Sen. Lara with an award for supporting their classmates in passing AB146.

MUSDSENLARA2: State Sen. Ricardo Lara visited Bell Gardens Elementary School May 20 to talk to Leslie Hiatt’s fifth-grade class about state history, politics and to remind them to remain dedicated to their dreams. Hiatt’s students also presented Sen. Lara with an award for supporting their classmates in passing AB146.