Before heading into El Dorado High School’s gym to celebrate the opening of Socorro ISD’s 12th annual ‘Growing Together’ Mother-Daughter Conference on Jan. 20, Erika Carrasco and her daughter, Camila Carrasco, a seventh grader at Sun Ridge Middle School, posed for pictures in the large Barbie doll box that was part of the conference's Barbie-themed display.
This was the second year in a row that they attended the conference, which offered a great opportunity for girls in grades sixth through 12 to spend the day bonding with their mothers or mother figures in a meaningful way.
“When I was in middle school, I was in a mother-daughter program, but it was a different program then,” said Erika Carrasco, a third-grade teacher at Lujan Chavez Elementary School. “So as soon as I heard that she could go, I decided to bring her and spend the day together showing her the different things that life has to offer her, the classes and things that she can do when she gets older.”
More than 600 participants attended the conference’s different workshops on communication, mother-daughter relationships, financial literacy, and more. They learned about college opportunities and career choices including pharmacy, civil engineering, and law enforcement. They also enjoyed fun activities such as dance and fitness classes and a Barbie Paint Party.
“I want to see what life has to offer and stuff,” Camila Carrasco said about the conference. “And I just like spending time with my mom.”
Kicking off the conference was keynote speaker and KTSM evening news anchor Monica Cortez.
The 2008 El Dorado graduate talked about her broadcasting career's highs and lows and her determination to become a certified broadcast meteorologist. She encouraged attendees to never give up on their dreams, especially when faced with adversity.
“I can’t wait to see wherever life takes you,” Cortez said. “I can’t wait to see you be incredible people no matter where your journey takes you, no matter what you want to become in life. I’m super excited for you. Maybe I’ll report it on the news? Showcase every single one of you guys doing amazing things!”
Ruth Jester, El Dorado parent liaison, said the conference was a chance for busy moms to reconnect with their daughters and learn something new about each other.
“We know that this age of sixth through 12th grade is a time where we really need to have that connection with our girls, and that's why we started this (conference),” Jester said. “It's growing together, and our hope is that they will be able to find opportunities to get to reconnect with one another, and at this time, that's so important.”
During a mother-daughter dance class, Mayah Navarro, an eighth grader at Col. John O. Ensor Middle School, had a great time connecting with her mom, Karina Macias, a physical education teacher at Desert Wind School. Navarro laughed as her mom spun her around while learning to dance cumbia.
“There's a lot of people that don't have a good relationship with their mom, and I'm very happy and, I'm very lucky to have a good one,” Navarro said. “I'm very lucky to spend a lot of time with her, and the fact that (SISD is) providing something like this, it's really good. It's awesome!”
Macias said this was their first time attending the conference, but they were already looking forward to returning next year. Aside from the dance class, they also planned to participate in one of the mother-daughter relationship workshops.
“Some of those workshops provide those deep conversations, those bonding moments, things that I didn't know about her, so it's great,” Macias said.
The conference also allowed girls to bond with their mother figures. El Dorado freshman Kennedi Wilson enjoyed the conference with her aunt, Ariel Wayne. Wilson's mom, Kira Taylor, a parent and family engagement liaison at Paso Del Norte Fine Arts Academy, was on the conference's committee. Taylor's sister volunteered to spend the day with Wilson while Taylor helped with the conference.
Wilson and her aunt attended the career workshop by Massage Envy. They also had fun painting Barbie's silhouette at the Barbie Paint party, which Wilson said was her favorite childhood toy.
“This is my second time (at the conference),” Wilson said. “I love it because my auntie and I, we don’t really get to see each other a lot, so I really like that today it’s just me and her.”