Puentes/Bridges Program

In the fall of 2006, seven Cooperative Extension faculty and academic staff participated with Puentes Bridges, Inc., in a Mexico immersion program.  The goal of the experience for Cooperative Extension was to expand knowledge and understanding about the issues faced by Mexican immigrants in Wisconsin. 

Puentes Bridges is a small, community-based business in western Wisconsin that offers language and cross-cultural services to the Wisconsin and Minnesota dairy industry.  The mission of Puentes is to enhance the economic development of the industry and the Hispanics work in the industry.

Puentes has taken many groups of dairy employers and others from rural Wisconsin and Minnesota communities on trips to Mexico in an effort to educate and broaden insights.  The addition of Cooperative Extension colleagues to the 2006 Puentes trip was a successful first step in what will hopefully be an ongoing partnership. Visit the Puentes website to learn more about their programs.

2006 Puentes Participants

• 2006 Puentes/Bridges Trip Presentation (32 slides, 5.62 MB)

Next Steps

• April 2, 2007 Wisline Audio Conference - Mexico trip debriefing teleconference includes information on the Michigan sponsored trip.
• April 2, 2007 Next Steps Meeting minutes (2 pages, 21 KB)

Testimonials & Trip Reports

• Barbara Barker, 4-H Youth Development, Agent Waushara County
  "I developed a greater understanding of the history of immigration to the United States and how the changing policies will affect those wishing to legally immigrate or work to the United States."
  Puentes 2006 Trip Report (1 page, 10 KB)
• Molly Haak, Family Living Educator, Green Lake County
  "Upon returning from the Puentes trip, I have a renewed motivation to foster awareness, understanding, and acceptance of cultural diversity in Green Lake County."
  Puentes 2006 Trip Report (1 page, 10 KB)
• JoAnn Hinz, Assistant to the Dean and Director
  "I intend to work with Puentes to develop a future program in partnership with Cooperative Extension that would include two- or three-person teams of Wisconsin producers and community residences and Cooperative Extension professionals."
  Puentes 2006 Trip Report (2 pages, 25 KB)
• Barb Larson, Horticulture Educator, Kenosha County
  "I have a much better understanding of the cultures, traditions and language of Mexican immigrants."
  Puentes 2006 Trip Report (1 page, 10 KB)
• Bethany Lopez, Nutrition Educator, Dane County
  "I also had the opportunity to teach a nutrition lesson at the Buenavista School for Handicapped Children with fellow nutrition educator, Christina Grazia-Parente, which was a unique, eye-opening and powerful experience."
  Puentes 2006 Trip Report (1 page, 10 KB)
• Mary Lucas, Multimedia & Web Design Specialist, Cooperative Extension
  "The visits to rural areas and meetings with the families of immigrants enhanced my appreciation of the difficulties, benefits and other worker issues related to immigration.  I also vastly improved my knowledge of the great history of this population."
  Puentes 2006 Trip Report (1 page, 10 KB)
• Cristina Parente, Nutrition and Parenting Educator, Rock County
  "I feel that I have come back from the trip with a different understanding of the immigration issues and new ideas on how to better serve the families with whom I work."
  Puentes 2006 Trip Report (1 page, 10 KB)
  

Puentes Original Documentation

• Background Information, Application Process, Selection Criteria, Deadlines (4 pages, 32 KB)
• Puentes Mexico Immersion Trip, Deadline--August 25, 2006 (2 pages, 17 KB)
• Mexico and Its Culture: A Program of Michigan State University Extension, Deadline--September 15, 2006 (6 pages, 300 KB)

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