Reyes Castillo was not happy with reports showing that Latino children are more likely to drop out of school, resulting in low income jobs and a difficult future.
The 45-year-old welder did not want his two children - Moses, 6, and Julio Cesar, 4 - to be a part of those statistics.
"Many (Latinos), after leaving school, find themselves in prison," said Castillo. "I have always looked for the key to break that chain."
Castillo thinks he may have found it in the educational program, Dads and Children Reading Together. The weekly program is for dads who want to learn parenting skills and reading suggestions while their children do their homework or other school activities in other classrooms.
The program, which is finishing its first school year, receives funding from First 5 Fresno County and is administered by the Clovis Unified School District. The final class meets this Wednesday (June 25) and resumes in the fall.
"I saw this as an advantage," said Castillo in Spanish during the class at Pinedale Elementary. "I saw the difference. I want the government to allocate more money to programs like these."
