Introducing our new “Puente Friend” T-shirts and Hoodies! Now everyone can finally show their Puente pride whether they work with us directly, support us from afar, or even are somewhere in between! Orders to be placed at the Puente office in Pescadero. Enjoy!

     Plaza Comunitaria is a program sponsored by the Mexican government to help their citizens currently located in the United States to continue with their primary and secondary education. The hope is that the program will open doors to more opportunities in the U.S.,and also represent an educational record for them back in Mexico if they were to return. Many organizations, including Puente, have been implementing this program for Mexican citizens who wish to continue what many started back home and complete their basic education.

     Pescadero resident, Veronica Carmona, pictured above, is holding her primaria (primary education) certificate and is already on her way to her secundaria (secondary education) certificate. She wishes to complete the program fully and go on to get a job after her youngest child has started school himself. Like many of our Plaza Comunitaria students at Puente, she works hard every day to give the best life possible to her family here in this country. Despite various challenges along the way, she remains enthusiastic about her studies and “goes above and beyond with her homework, gaining more and more English fluency each year,” says Kassi Talbot, Puente’s Learning Center Coordinator. We are so proud of Veronica and wish her and all the Plaza Comunitaria students the best in their endeavors..

Monday marked the first day of this summer’s YMCA camp for kids from ages 5-11. The camp, which runs from Monday through Thursday, offers a range of outdoor activities from sports, hiking, horseback riding, swimming, and archery to rock climbing, zip lining, canoeing and more. This year, four Puente youth are helping make this summer a special one for these YMCA campers.