Immigration Writing Program Celebrates Generations

SAN ANTONIO - Sept. 13, 2014 - PRLog -- SAN ANTONIO, TX – From traditional media to social media, immigration has remained a hot topic for years. A brief analysis of Twitter hashtags will show that as many as 90,000 tweets in a given month will include the hashtag #immigration. And as new online platforms are developed, more voices can be heard, as more people contribute to the national dialogue.

Some of the most important voices come from young students like Gavin Betancourt. In 2014, as part of the Celebrate America writing program, Betancourt (a student at Wilshire Elementary School) paid tribute to his immigrant grandparents. “If my grandfather had not wanted a more fulfilling life,” he wrote, “I realize that I would not be here today... I thank my ancestors for coming to America and helping me realize my dreams!”

Joseph B. De Mott, the founding partner in the law firm De Mott, McChesney, Curtright & Armendariz (DMCA), has worked to make sure voices like Betancourt's are heard. Since 2004, the firm has facilitated the local chapter of Celebrate America, a program for fifth-grade students, allowing De Mott to witness, firsthand, the program's impact on families, as they share their stories of how immigration has impacted their lives.

Betancourt placed third in the program's public school category; in 2013, his sister, Promise Pitman, placed first. “Gavin was so excited to take part in the program,” says their mother, Bianca Pitman, “and Promise was very supportive. I'm proud to see them come together and share in this experience.”

“Immigration is an heirloom,” De Mott adds. “Living in America is a gift one generation passes down to the next. Seeing Gavin and Promise both take part in Celebrate America demonstrates the power of that gift.”

As the firm prepares for the 2014-2015 school year, it is once again inviting students and their families to share their voices. The program is open to all public, private, or home-schooled students at the fifth grade level. Participants can write a poem, essay, or short story on the subject of “Why I Am Glad America Is A Nation Of Immigrants”; all entries must be 500 words or less, and must be submitted by E-mail to Nikki Young, Assistant Coordinator for the program, at Nikki.Young@DMCAUSA.com no later than Sunday, February 1. “That day is National Freedom Day,” Young explains. “It's a day when we all reflect on what freedom means to us, so it's a perfect time to celebrate those who seek freedom here.” (For non-electronic submissions, please call 210-590-1844 to arrange for drop-off or pick-up.)

All entries will be judged by a panel of judges from around the city. One public-school student, and one private- or home-school student, will be selected, and each will receive $100 cash, a replica of the Statue of Liberty, and a gift certificate from the Institute of Texan Cultures. Other awards will be presented to the second and third place students in each category. In addition, the teacher who submits the most entries will also be awarded $100 cash.

Participating students and teachers in past years have also been invited to attend a naturalization ceremony, and expect to be invited again in 2015.

The program is another part of DMCA's commitment to educating the community. “I've visited schools for years,” De Mott says, “and I've spoken to students and their teachers. With each visit, I'm always struck by how passionate these students are about immigration, by how much they have to contribute to America's conversation.”

As De Mott prepares to visit schools and talk about the 2015 program, he is looking forward to more stories like that of Peyton Martin, a student at Holy Name Catholic School. In his poem “Welcome to Our Borders” (which placed first in the private-school category in 2013), Martin captured the spirit of a nation of immigrants:

Welcome, my friend, please stand next to me
This is OUR country the land of the free

For more information about the Celebrate America program, please visit celebrateamericawritingcontest.org (select “Find a Contest,” then “Texas,” then “San Antonio”), or call 210-590-1844.