For the holiday season, the Latino Education Institute (LEI) of Worcester State University, has teamed up with Studio Theatre Worcester to collect and provide families with care packages that include board games and wellness tips. The mission of LEI focuses on improving the academic achievement and well-being of Latino students from kindergarten to college

The care packages and board games are intended to promote togetherness and family time. “It’s time for their family to be together, rather than gifts,” said Hilda Ramirez, executive director of LEI. “It’s time for your family to collectively spend time together and look forward to the food that we all have around the holidays.”

For its fourth production, Studio Theatre Worcester is putting on its adaptation of O. Henry’s short story “The Gift of the Magi” at Gordon Hall at the First Baptist Church of Worcester from November 12 to the 21st. Anyone who attends a show and brings a board game to donate to LEI will receive $5 off of a future Studio Theatre Worcester production.

“When United Ways approached and asked what we need this year, we said that because of the pandemic it would be so great to have families talk more at home,” Ramirez said. “We’re either isolated or we’re losing that with so much use of technology. Our kids are not communicating as much as we’d like to.”

Ramirez said that instead of a toy drive, the board game drive would promote families to come together and spend time doing an activity throughout the holidays. She said LEI is hoping to collect around 50 board games.

In addition to the board games, LEI will send home wellness tips that its sixth grade girls created last year as well as other items the organization thinks will help the families, such as personal protective equipment.

“We know that our families are going through a lot,” Ramirez said. “The Latino community got hit really hard with the pandemic…That affects the community, not just the household. Any little thing that we can help families with, we think it’s important to do.”

LEI also bought tickets to “The Gift of the Magi” for some of its families to attend.

The event, Ramirez said, goes hand-in-hand with the missions of LEI. The organization focuses on building relationships through social-emotional development and the promotion of health and wellbeing. LEI also looks to empower the Latino community by celebrating cultural events while also lending a voice to the Latino community.

“We’re also worried about mental health and the wellness of the community,” Ramirez said. “There’s a lot of challenges that people are experiencing. We’re always looking for ways to support through our programs.”

In the 2020-2021 year, LEI impacted 1,844 families through academic and social support and 180 youth during out of school programs. LEI also has a counselor that reaches out to families who need support. Ramirez said that in non-pandemic years, the numbers within the out of school programs are over 700.

LEI hosts programs for students, as well as their families, to create a sense of social responsibility and work toward positive youth development and leadership.

“We really focus on college and career success and what are the 21st century skills that students need to be lifelong learners,” Ramirez said. “Communication, teamwork, problem solving – those are the skills we’re trying to develop in our programs.”

Students in grades four and five are able to participate in Innovative Services for Latino Achievers (ISLA), where they participate in relationship building- , identity- , and STEM-based projects.

“I like that we get to meet new people, how we get to get along with each other,” said fourth grader Chantell Matias. “We all try to help each other.”

For the holidays, according to Mia Nieves, who is a fifth grader, the group also celebrates with a party together. Last year, she said there was pizza and cookies.

Nieves said she is also excited for her Thanksgiving at home with family. Matias also said her family makes food and spends time together.

Six grade Latina girls are engaged with Latina Achievers in Search of Success (LASOS), where they focus on self-exploration, early college awareness, and cultural enrichment. The girls work with their mothers and new mentors to discover their impact within potential educational and professional futures.

“It’s really fun. You can show who you are,” sixth grader Laura Rojas said. “It’s a safe place to talk about your country, your feelings.”

Nylaeh Thompson said similarly that she also feels that LASOS is an open and welcoming space.

“Before I came here, I knew some about my culture but not as much as I do now,” Thompson said. “It’s just really fun to hang out with your friends as well.”

The cultural discovery also has led Thompson to learn a lot more about the different foods, she said, especially from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Guatemala. Her family will be making dishes for the holiday season together — an aspect that she said is important to her as they play games, make Tik Toks,

“It means so much because ever since Covid, we don’t have as many get-togethers,” Thompson said. “Being able to meet up is amazing, spending time with my cousins.”

Rojas said that for the holidays, her family does a Secret Santa and stays up late to celebrate.

“Family is an important feeling for me,” Rojas said. “It’s a feeling that people don’t get, but I get it, and I’m better for that and I’m grateful for it.”

Over 90 percent of LASOS participants reported that they have a better understanding of cultural traditions, according to LEI’s statistics. The girls, according to the data, also feel that it is important to do well in high school in order to succeed in college or a career.

LEI also offers Youth Civics Union (YCU) as well as ENcouraging Latinos to AChieve Excellence (ENLACE), which works with boys through exercise discipline and other workshops to learn about education and their cultures.

For adults, there are programs such as Parent Navigation Center and Club Educacion (Club E). Both programs work with parents and caretakers to equip them with appropriate knowledge and skills to ensure their children are able to meet their academic goals. Club E works with parents on computer, financial, and health literacy skills as well as English-as-aSecond-Language (ESL) classes.

For more information, visit www.worcester.edu/Latino-Education-Institute.