Hidalgo County Judge's Educational Program for Children

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

Fully aware young children are learning sponges, whose educational experiences lead to positive behavior and thereby an investment in a better future, Judge Richard F. Cortez, put a children’s education program in place in Hidalgo County. Lessons building the love of reading, science or nature is the right step in helping young learners manage themselves and their emotions. After months of remote learning, children heading back to class in the fall were anxious about leaving their safe zone (home) from the pandemic. With anxiety levels in children at an all-time high, one of the components of the program was to ease this anxiety in a fun way yet provide an educational benefit. The program designed by the county judge’s office team included a fall and a winter component. The fall component focused on literacy skills for children in Pre-K and Kindergarten easing them into the in-person learning environment. The winter component focused on understanding weather in first and second grade in a fun and engaging way. It may take years for young children who are still adapting to in-person learning to recover both academically and socio-emotionally. The Hidalgo County Judge’s program aims to do its part in the recovery process.