Stories of Impact: Alex Valle
Alex Valle shares how he passionately serves Our community youth and his personal development as an educator. Read more about his experience as an After-School Program Coordinator and his contribution to Hacienda’s Expresiones program.
Photography by Héctor Salazar @hectorsalazarphotography. Courtesy from the group IDEAL PDX.
Alex Valle has always had the desire and passion to work with youth. He is driven to make a difference in the lives of future generations using his gifts of teaching and relationship building. From educating and helping students through art as well as physical education in local schools, to his current role as an Expresiones After-School Program Coordinator, Alex nurtures his talents daily and finds that his work includes more than just teaching, rather he goes further to impact his community and the youth involved.
Alex began his career at Hacienda in 2019 and transitioned into his role as an After-School Program Coordinator recently. After two years supporting organizational events and entrepreneurs in our Empresarios program, he was drawn to this particular position due to his natural ability to teach and desire to work with youth. Alex describes his current role as being a central person who “… provides a safe space for youth from the community to gather, someone who provides educational assistance with homework, develops cognitive developmental activities and connects them with programs, places, and activities that they would normally not have access to. Needless to say, After-School Program Coordinators serve as “… mentors and teachers for the kids that they work with while also being a resource center for families.”
“…Expresiones has a vital role in the communities we serve. Not only for the educational value but also because it serves as a support for families involved.”
One of the most compelling ways Expresiones is making an impact is by allowing children to be in a safe environment upon returning from school. Parents oftentimes have busy schedules which prevent them from picking their children up. Youth are dropped off thanks to school transportation near program sites, and head to Expresiones without needing to head home beforehand. They go to their classrooms and parents have peace of mind knowing their children are well taken care of.
Alex explained that as a result of his personal involvement with Expresiones growing up, he stayed away from trouble and difficult situations. Having experienced the impact of this programming firsthand, Alex is sure to make every day count with his youth and quickly learned that every day is a new adventure in Expresiones. The most meaningful part of his work is relationship-building, from activity planning to talking with families.
“The most rewarding part of this position has been to connect with the community, both the kids and the families. Through building this connection I have been able to learn about the needs of the communities and how Hacienda and myself can help. When we are not able to provide help, we connect them to outside programs or resources that can support them. To me, this is the most rewarding part because I know how much help that brings to a family in need.” Alex has built rapport among children and families by being a support system and providing a safe environment for children to access.
“To me, this is the most rewarding part because I know how much help that brings to a family in need.”
After a short period of time, Alex saw that his impact extended beyond after-school activities. Building trust is a crucial component in his work. “When I first started in this position, I imagined it to be much simpler than it truly is. As months have passed, I’ve realized that our goal in the Expresiones program is to provide much more than just help with school and homework. I have developed relationships with the kids as a mentor and role model and relationships with the parents as a guide and family friend. While performing my duties I want the families to see me as someone they can trust and someone that will be there in case they need something. Not just an after-school teacher.”
Meanwhile he teaches children within the classroom, Alex also provides relief to families in moments of need. During the 2022 holiday season, Alex and his Expresiones team provided gifts to families they serve, which primarily encompass low-income households. The holidays can put a strain on families who cannot afford to provide their children and family with gifts. Thanks to the Youth and Family Services team as well as our partnering programs, KGW 8 and Fox 12 Oregon, gifts were given to all the youth within the program—providing help and relief for residential families.
Expresiones provides additional academic support, but its central goal and impact have evolved into something much deeper; its developed into a support system for residential families and a space to cultivate relationships—where community members are listened to. As Alex describes it, “…our goal is to build and strengthen the community and voice the needs of the people we serve… I believe that we are doing just that.”
Beyond being a mentor and educator, Alex is an incredibly talented multimedia artist. Growing up, he had teachers and mentors who encouraged his artistic pursuits and he believes it was through their support he continued with art. He teaches his love of art to his students on a daily basis in the hope they too feel motivated to foster their individual talents. Overall, Alex shares that by teaching art, he demonstrates “the value of having someone who values and believes in your work…” ensuring to practice this value with the youth he serves.
Alex Valle is an example of a passionate and driven individual that helps Hacienda offer bilingual and bi-cultural academic support to youth in our communities.
Expresiones is an Hacienda CDC program available to residential families. Learn more about Expresiones and Youth and Family Services by clicking here.