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From June 16-July 14, TWC welcomed a group of Puerto Rican educators as a part of the annual Pilar Barbosa Program. The group comprised of 25 K-12 public school teachers and administrators brought to Washington, D.C. to learn about federal educational policy, innovative curriculum design and other topics that enhanced the skills of the educators as both leaders in the classroom and advocates for their students.

Over the course of a month, the Pilar Barbosa educators participated in a variety of activities that worked to teach them about different themes in the realm of education:

Week 1: Leadership in Education (Dates: Monday, June 18-Friday, June 22)

Week 2: Education Policy (Dates: Monday, June 25-Friday, June 29)

Week 3: Technology in Education (Dates: Monday, July 2-Friday, July 6)

Week 4: Innovative Curriculum Design (Dates: Monday, July 9-Saturday, July 14)

During this month, Pilar Barbosa participants conducted a number of site visits and informational sessions at locations such as the U.S. Department of Education; where they discussed topics like the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics and participated in RESPECT discussions on "A National Conversation about Teaching."

The educators also welcomed a series of speakers to TWC headquarters who provided them with insight into different organizational efforts throughout the nation's capitol. These speakers included:

• Shelby McIntosh, Research Associate, Center for Education Policy (Topic: Educational Policy and Improving Public Schools)
• Raul Gonzalez, Director of Legislative Affairs, National Council of La Raza (Topic: NCLR's "Focus on Education")
• Dr. Turner, Special Education Coordinator, Mundo Verde Public Charter School (Topic: "El Perfil del Estudiante con Problemas Especificos en el Aprendizaje" and a discussion on special education)
• Laura Coscarelli, Program Manager-STEM Learning Studio, National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (Topic: Modernizing STEM Education)
• Teresa Maisonet-Menendez, Special Education Coordinator, Oyster-Adams Bilingual School (Topic: Integrating Technology in Special Education)
• Kate Walsh, President, National Council on Teacher Quality (Topic: Modernizing the Teaching Profession)
• Evangelina Aponte Santos, Administrative Officer, Office of Legislative Services of the Puerto Rican Legislative Assembly (Topic: Reflections on the Pilar Barbosa 2012 Internship Program)
• Margarita Benitez, Senior Associate, Excelencia in Education (Topic: "El Ojo del Huracan: Entender a DC desde una Perspectiva Puerto Riqueña")

In addition, the Pilar Barbosa educators took part in fun, educational and character-building activities and workshops centered on the realms of education and policy. These activities took place in a variety of locations throughout D.C., Virginia and Maryland like:

• Grant Writing Workshop (Location: Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration)
• Judging Fact, Fiction and Everything in Between: Teaching Media Literacy to "Digital Natives" (Location: The Newseum)
• Major League Baseball Game: Washington Nationals vs. Tampa Bay (Location: Nationals Park)
• Tour of the Library of Congress (Location: Library of Congress)
• Tour of the U.S. Capitol (Location: U.S. Capitol)
• Visit to F.S. Key Elementary Scool/Escuela Key (Location: F.S. Key Elementary School/Escuela Key)

Pilar Barbosa participants were also given the unique opportunity to meet the U.S. Congressman of New York, Jose Serrano, and the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, Honorable Pedro R. Pierluisi.

The Pilar Barbosa program provided a comprehensive and unique experience for every participant, enabling them to grasp the complexities of both education and policy. Through a series of workshops, visits and activities, the Pilar Barbosa program provided a transformational experience for every single educator.

[View photos of the event on our Flickr channel]