We're so proud to share the story of the work that the Montana Migrant Education Program (MEP) is doing to support their students. I invite you to read the story of our work together.
While many elements of a migrant student’s life are unpredictable, family can often be the most consistent. This means that family engagement is a central focus for Montana MEP. And for program manager Pat Lowthian, building strong relationships with migrant families starts with listening to their needs and priorities.
“People say, “What do you do in Migrant?” and I say, “What don’t I do!” said Pat. “We try to identify and meet the needs of our families. I’m very aware of the stressors our families face regarding food and clothing insecurity and trying to pay their monthly bills. Sometimes there’s one paycheck with many mouths to feed. We are trying our very best to lift families up.”
Passion into Action
For Pat, supporting migrant families has been a life-long passion.
“My first experience with Migrant families was living in the Santa Clarita Valley on the edge of Los Angeles County in Valencia, CA. I grew up watching the Migrants working in over 100-degree heat day after day in that scorching sun with no sign of bathrooms or water. I often would say to my dad, “They have an amazing work ethic even though the money they make for their labor is minimal. We need to do more to support them.”
As a teacher in Billings, Montana, Pat first experienced what it meant to support migrant students. She witnessed academically committed students leaving school to meet family needs and wanted to do more. Her opportunity came when she joined the Montana MEP as a summer Migrant School teacher, a role she continued through her teaching career.
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