The legacy of Cesar Chavez is kept alive for students every year through the Cesar E. Chavez Day of Service and Learning, a citywide event for all ages that includes a commemorative march from the Saroyan Theatre to the Fresno Adult School Cesar Chavez campus.
Students, staff and the community also honored the legacy of Chavez with dancing, essays and a garlanding ceremony at the event, this year held on March 17, its 16th year.
Tioga Middle School students swept the Cesar Chavez Essay Project middle school awards this year, while in the high school division, a Design Science High School student took first and Edison High School students took second and third.
Winners from Tioga were Sofia Medina, first; Tiara Cardenas, second; Victoria Rosales, third. Their teacher is Joseph Bushong. High school winners were Isaak Hernandez, first, from Design Science (teacher is Crystal Arredondo); Caoilin Mullings, second, from Edison (teacher is Edward Garcia); and Miguel Maravilla, third, from Edison (teacher is Erica Jimenez).
Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning is a joint project of El Concilio de Fresno, the district and Fresno Adult School, the California Highway Patrol, and other public and private agencies. A committee collaborates with district departments to support the development of Chavez curriculum and service learning in all of Fresno Unified schools.