She also was attending classes at a junior college in her native Nebraska. One teacher in particular insisted she be in class. More than believing she could do well, he expected her to. She met his expectations; then exceeded them.
Now, Montanez Johner is the U.S. undersecretary of agriculture for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. It was a long road, but she says it started simply by "beingthere....You need to be present when the door of opportunity opens."
Montanez Johner will be the keynote speaker today at the Hispanic Education Conference in Modesto Junior College's east campus gym at 8:50 a.m. She'll tell her story, but also explain the positives of the 2007 farm bill.
The bill includes programs she fervently supports — including those to combat obesity in poor people, to get more fresh fruit and vegetables into the mouths of schoolchildren and to help elderly people pay for their groceries.
The bill will have to go through several stages before it reaches the president's desk. Among its supporters is Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Merced, who likes the additional funding for research into improving and marketing "specialty" crops grown around here.
Such programs are beneficial, but we're more impressed with aspects of the bill that would help the 40,000 people in Stanislaus County who receive food assistance. Montanez Johner believes that's only half of those who qualify; she wants to expand the programs to all who are eligible. Then she wants to help them better use the assistance they're getting.
Finding enough food for her kids is the kind of help Montanez Johner once needed. There's nothing wrong with a diet that features rice, beans and tortillas, as long as it also includes peaches, apples and broccoli. That's part of the story Montanez Johner wants to tell.
Meetings should be convenient
Abiding by the principle of open government should include scheduling public meetings for times and places convenient for the public. The Ceres Unified School District board of trustees didn't live up to that ideal when it met at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in the superintendent's office to talk about how to fill a board vacancy. Technically, the board met its obligation to post a 24-hour notice of the special meeting, but the time sure wasn't accessible for most parents or staff. We don't disagree with the board's action — inviting applications for an appointment — but the process fell short.
Help someone learn to read
Looking for a worthwhile way to contribute to our community? Consider tutoring an adult who doesn't know how to read. Here are some comments from people who learned to read through the ReadingWorks Adult Literacy program:
"I took a promotion at work but went back to my old job because it was too difficult. Later, the position, a machine operator with some computer skills, was offered to me again and this time I had the necessary skills."
"It meant a whole lot to be able to learn how to read because without knowing how, you are totally lost. I couldn't pick up the newspaper and read. I couldn't travel and know where I was because I couldn't read the signs."
ReadingWorks helps adults through one-on-one or small group tutoring using volunteers. The volunteer and their adult learner meet twice a week for approximately 90 minutes to work on reading skills. A volunteer does not need to be a trained teacher. A free orientation for prospective volunteers will be April 11 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Training will follow on April 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both sessions will be in the Modesto Library, 1500 I St. Call 558-4505 to register or for more information about training.
