Staff & Colleagues
Alicia Durazo~ Center Administrator
As a former migrant worker who followed the seasonal crops with her family from CA. to Oregon, Alicia knew what it was like as a child to be disadvantaged. Having to change schools every time the worked finished in one city and being pulled out of school to be moved to a new place naturally put her behind academically. With this knowledge, Alicia’s career as an early childhood educator began with her involvement in organizing child care centers for the migrant farm workers in Idaho trying to provide quality care and education for the disadvantaged. Experience, special training, attending seminars and workshops in Child Care and Education at Idaho State University advanced her administration skills as she was then given the title “Center Administrator “ at the Idaho Migrant Council in Blackfoot, Idaho. Alicia has worked with many children of diverse backgrounds. She has worked with many different Native American children from different tribes such as the Navajo, Shoshone and others, and was granted special permission to enter the reservations enabling her to gain more insight and knowledge on tribal cultures and living styles. Shortly after her administration work, she was offered the position of head start director for the Utah Migrant Council in Salt Lake City where she established a network linking migrant children to their new prospective schools, helping them in the continuation of their studies. Since then Alicia has traversed the world, always learning new techniques in teaching methods used in different cultures. Upon her return to America she is enthused to apply her experience and knowledge to support and create a multi-perspective curriculum with the mission to involve community and workplaces in the path for creating quality holistic education for disadvantaged families and individuals. "I believe I have became a richer person, fortunate enough to have been given these opportunities to work with a diverse group of people. To be able to make a difference in a child's life makes me feel blessed."
Elizabeth LaFrankie
Elizabeth's introduction to the world of Lego's began in her early childhood years after receiving her very first Lego set as a gift from her older sister Donna when she was only 5 years old. Since that time, her passion for building intensified as her expertise in building skills have become so detailed to simply produce works of art admirable to the common eye. Elizabeth's creativity during building time and Lego play has been a form of expression she hasn't quite made sense of. However she strongly believes that such constructive building, can open the minds of youngsters of all ages. "Who would have thought after all these years, Lego building would continue to be integrated in my life. It has truly opened my mind in many ways." Elizabeth has always built things on her own and with very little effort, thus her approach and form(s) of instruction are purely organic in every sense! Elizabeth is thrilled to be a part of a team that can possibly be inspirational and motivational to a new generation.